Refugee Week 2023

Refugee Week takes place on the 20th of June every year. This year is Refugee Week’s 25th anniversary. The theme this year is ‘compassion,’ with the aim to ask ourselves and celebrate what compassion looks like in action.

You can find out more about Refugee Week and this year’s theme by visiting the following website:  

Theme of Refugee Week 2023: Compassion – Refugee Week

The website also offers an extensive list of resources.

Typically, Refugee Week is a time to celebrate the achievements, contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary across the globe. Refugee Week’s vision is for refugees and asylum seekers to be able to live safely within inclusive and resilient communities. 

We know that the last few years have been extremely difficult, and the anti-migrant rhetoric is on the rise with more and more negative messages be spread. However, it is through actions and events such as Refugee Week that we can take a stance and fight back in raising awareness and educating. 

Fun Fact: Refugee Week is coordinated by Counterpoints Arts a leading national organisation in the field of arts, migration and national change. Their mission is to support and produce the arts by and about migrants and refugees with aim to ensure their works are recognised in British arts, history and culture. 

This year’s call to action is to show how arts and culture can help widen our circles of compassion! You access some more information on simple acts to help and support by clicking this link: Simple Acts Pack (canva.com)

Here at the Guild we think it is incredibly important for us to show solidarity with our students and in particularly support them. However, we also wish to show our support for all refugees and asylum seekers and all those affected by conflicts and the resulting refugee crisis. 

You can check out our More Than A Month page for our resource list on books to read, things to watch and podcasts to listen to.

Liverpool City Council also lists local services for refugees on its website.

If anything in this blog has upset, please don’t hesitate to contact: guildadvice@liv.ac.uk  or the Wellbeing Advice and Guidance team: advice@liverpool.ac.uk

How the university supports Refugees:

• The Wellbeing Advisors are here to provide additional support or someone to talk to if you need it. Get in touch by emailing advice@liverpool.ac.uk
• If you require support for your studies, you can contact your School Office
• If you need practical or financial support, including accessing our University Hardship Fund, please contact our Money Advice and Guidance Team or the International Advisers in our International Advice and Guidance team
• The university offers a scholarship to asylum seeker who is living in the UK and unable to fund higher education. 
• If you are living outside of the UK and have refugee status, or are under humanitarian protection (held outside of the UK), we offer a Humanitarian Scholarship for Postgraduate Taught programmes

What we do at the Guild:

• Liverpool Guild of Students offer free and confidential advice to all University of Liverpool students. You can contact our Advice team via email guildadvice@liv.ac.uk to arrange a phone call or appointment
• Peer-to-peer support can be accessed via our student societies or student communities, many of which are based around nationality and culture