Refugee Week Canterbury Kent

We’ve put together a toolkit with ideas and stories to interest you.

Refugee Week 2025

A collaboration between Canterbury Cathedral, Kent Refugee Action Network, and The Social Justice Network, with input from United Society Partners in the Gospel.

‘Victims of the Border’

Refugee Week 2025 included

A Refugee Week Trail

Visitors to the Cathedral were invited to take part in a family-friendly trail exploring the Cathedral’s history and heritage as a place of refuge and sanctuary, pilgrimage, welcome, and healing.

Refugee and Asylum Seekers Memorial Boards Display

Throughout Refugee Week there was a free display of name boards memorialising those who have died in Calais or at sea in the past few years.

One Nation, Many Flavours: An Evening of Music and British Fusion Cuisine

There was a wonderful evening celebrating the richness that diversity brings to life – all on one plate – a fusion meal that offered a global take on British cuisine.

The menu was co-created with The Social Justice Network Refugee Programmes’ community and features culinary influences from Eritrea, Afghanistan, Syria, South Sudan, and Ukraine.

Alongside mouth-watering food, the evening featured performances by renowned Syrian oud player, Rihab Azar, and Ukrainian British band On Yellow and Blue.

Discussion Panel on Safe Routes with National and Local Experts

Successive governments have pledged to ‘stop the boats’, whilst the numbers of asylum seekers crossing the English Channel continues to rise year on year. Statistics tell us that the majority of those who arrive on our shores after the treacherous journey have a legitimate claim to asylum.

The discussion asked, could a better system of claiming that asylum be devised and created? Do our government’s policies need revision? Does the rhetoric need to change? How can we mitigate the danger to exiles in France, the UK and the Channel? And how does this all relate to the bigger picture on global migration?

The panel included Rt Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover; Domenica Pecoraro, Kent Refugee Programmes Manager for the Social Justice Network; Bradon Muilenburg, Anglican Refugee Support Lead in Northern France; and Dilys Alam, National Public Policy Advisor to the Church of England

Who Is It For?

Refugee Week is for everyone. Anyone can get involved whether you have five minutes or five months to prepare something. In the past, we’ve had all sorts of individuals, groups and organisations take part.

Who Is A Refugee?

In 2024 we had an immersive and interactive experience exhibition in the cathedral chapter house entitled ‘Home’.

2023 Refugee Week

In 2023 our diocese held a number of events from art exhibitions to insightful talks, with 2021 seeing a webinar with Bishop Rose and Lord Dubs among the guests.

But none of these things happen in isolation. We know how interconnected our world is: how something seemingly “far away” impacts everyone. All of this makes us even more aware of the need to widen our circles of compassion.