Local partners share compassion as Refugee Week begins

Refugee Week has sprung into action in Blackburn with Darwen with the Compassion Conference in Blackburn Cathedral.

The theme of this year’s Refugee Week, which runs between 19 and 25 June, is compassion and what that looks like in action.

This morning (Monday 19 June) people from across Blackburn with Darwen’s diverse communities gathered in the cathedral crypt to hear from speakers including the Revd Canon James Lawrence and Chris Seddon on the board of the ARC Project to talk about the borough’s proud history of welcoming refugees.

The aim of the conference is to celebrate the warm welcome Blackburn with Darwen’s communities have offered to people who have had to flee their home countries due to violence or oppression.

Leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, Coun Phil Riley, took part in the Compassion Conference. He said:

It was incredibly powerful to hear the real life accounts of refugees who have made their homes in Blackburn and Darwen, and so heartening that they feel they have been welcomed here.

As community leaders, part of our role is making sure no one in the borough gets left behind and has opportunities to make the most of everything that local life has to offer. The various partners taking part in today’s conference play a huge role in that.

The Council’s integration and community engagement team, working with local partners including Blackburn Museum, Blackburn Library, the Bureau Centre for the Arts, the Connect Hub, ARC, DARE, Kairos Housing, Community Harmony, IMO  and Blackburn Cathedral have compiled a full programme of events for Refugee Week.

Activities include specially themed storytime sessions in Blackburn and Darwen libraries, an international food festival in Blackburn’s Wesley Hall, and the premier of a film about refugees’ reflections on arriving in Blackburn with Darwen, with contributions from the organisations that support them.

The full programme for Refugee Week in Blackburn with Darwen is below.

Rebecca Johnson, who manages Blackburn Museum, commented:

In our gallery, we’ll be showcasing a series of short films about local refugees, to give museum visitors a chance to listen to their perspectives.

On Saturday 24 June, we’ve also got some free craft sessions for families that celebrate the cultures of people who have made the borough their home.

Holly Morgan, Manager of ARC Blackburn, added:

Our International Food Festival on Wednesday 21 June will be a fantastic celebration of the diversity in Blackburn with Darwen. It’s a chance for all to show compassion by sharing food and music from different cultures. Join us for a memorable event filled with storytelling, traditional dancing, eating and laughter.

Refugee Week is a national festival which takes place every year from the Monday to Sunday of the week around World Refugee Day. The aim of this umbrella festival is to celebrate refugee contributions to the UK and promote better understanding of refugees’ experiences.