We hope that this finds you at the right time to support your planning for Refugee Week, 16th-22nd June. It is an important opportunity to celebrate our diverse school communities and the many ways in which refugees have helped to shape and continue to enrich Australia.

Now more than ever, with the total number of people around the world being supported by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR reaching over 110 million (mid 2023) it is important that we acknowledge the strengths and resilience of children, young people and families of refugee backgrounds in our school communities. Many of whom have family and friends who remain in unsafe situations.

This year’s Refugee Week theme “Finding Freedom” – with a focus on family – encapsulates the profound journey of resilience, strength, and unity that defines the refugee experience. This Refugee Week, The Refugee Council of Australia aim to shed light on the transformative power of familial bonds as well as chosen bonds in the face of adversity and emphasise the crucial role families play in providing solace, support, and a sense of belonging to those forced to flee their homelands. This is a theme that people of all backgrounds can strongly identify with.

There are lots of resources to support your planning at the official site.

If you are looking to organise a speaker for your school we can recommend Shout Out speakers from the Centre for Multicultural Youth

You might like to book a program through Together for Humanity whose offerings are designed to promote inclusion and connection in schools.