Celebration event for refugees in Southwark

15 June 2022

Southwark Council invites the borough to come together on Saturday 18 June to celebrate the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.

From 11am to 4pm at St Giles Church in Camberwell, there will be a range of family-friendly activities including:

  • Music and dancing
  • Face painting and henna
  • Traditional food
  • Children’s activities
  • Cultural shows
  • Advice and information

The event is being organised in partnership between Southwark Council, Southwark Refugee Communities Forum, Southwark Law Centre, Panjshir Aid and Southwark Asylum Seekers.

Cllr Alice Macdonald, Cabinet Member for Equalities, Neighbourhoods and Leisure, said: “This event is an opportunity to celebrate the many ways refugees contribute to life in Southwark and the warm welcome that our community has always offered to people seeking sanctuary. Now, more than ever, as we welcome refugees from Ukraine and continue to provide sanctuary to those who fled Afghanistan last year, it’s important for us to celebrate diversity and show support for people who have made the borough their home. Everyone is welcome to join us this Saturday and enjoy the variety of culture and customs that make Southwark such a special place to live.”

The celebration event comes ahead of Refugee Week, which ends on 26 June. The council is running a number of other events in their libraries during Refugee Week, including:

Books in different languages are being added to Southwark’s libraries, including dual language in Ukranian. The theme of their Festival of Words festival this year is ‘home’. For the full list of events, visit www.southwark.gov.uk/festivalofwords

Page last updated: 15 June 2022

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