20-26 June 2011

People up and down the country will be celebrating the diverse culture and skills refugees have brought to the UK during Refugee Week 2011 (20-26 June), 60 years on from the creation of the UN Convention for Refugees.

Hundreds of events will be taking place, and highlights include:

• ‘60 years, 6 lives’: photo exhibition celebrating the extraordinary lives of six refugees who have sought sanctuary in the UK since 1951 by award-winning Magnum photographer Ian Berry at the Trongate 103, Glasgow (from 2 June)
• ‘Refugee Week Umbrella Parade 2011’: hundreds of people to march with colourful umbrellas to symbolise the protection of refugees across Europe in central London (Sunday 19 June) and in Cardiff (Sunday 26 June)
• ‘Celebrating Sanctuary London’: a huge, free festival on the Southbank with music, food, and entertainment from across the world (Sunday 19 June)

Refugee Week 2011 marks the 60th anniversary of the UN Convention for Refugees, which was created after World War II to save the lives of people at risk in their own countries. Throughout the week, people across the UK will celebrate the lives saved by the convention since 1951, and the contributions many of those refugees have made to British society, though a UK-wide programme of arts, cultural, and educational events.

Almir Koldzic, Head of Refugee Week UK said:

“Refugees have made an enormous contribution to the social, cultural and political life of the UK in the last 60 years, and we will be celebrating this at a huge range of events throughout Refugee Week.

Make sure you take part in a Refugee Week event in your neighbourhood, not only to pay tribute to the courage, resilience, and creativity of refugees living in Britain today, but also to gain inspiration for ways of bringing our communities together!”

To find out more about events taking place, visit the official website and see Twitter @RefugeeWeek.