When is Refugee Week?
Refugee Week will take place from 15 to 21 June 2026.
This year, the theme is Courage.
Why mark Refugee Week?
Refugee Week is a UK-wide festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.
Community is the incredible everyday. Ordinary and extraordinary. Simple acts of shared generosity. Kindness multiplied to become an unstoppable force!
Refugee Week
Refugee Week 2026
For Refugee Week 2026, we are supporting pupils aged 4 to 14 explore the theme of Courage and consider how they can use the power of words to celebrate the courage that lives within us all. Through key literacy skills, exploring high-quality texts, and interacting with skilled professionals, we support teachers in guiding pupils through this challenging but important issue and find out how even the smallest acts can work together to build a strong and powerful community.
These resources aim to enrich pupils writing, reading and oracy skills. All resources link to National Curricula, details of which are available within the resource downloads.
Please explore the outline of classroom resources and our exciting schedule of free events.
Pupils aged 4 to 5 (Early years) and pupils aged 5 to 7 (years 1 and 2, P2 and P3)
Pupils are invited to take part in one of Refugee Week’s official Simple Acts each day, guided by a daily video from children’s author Nadine Kadaan. Activities include having courageous conversations, walking and talking together, and sharing food and stories to build understanding and connection. This resource focuses on inspiring pupils to make others feel welcome and show courage, through reading, writing, and oracy. Teachers will also find a carefully curated book list to support them in exploring this challenging topic with their children.
What's included
- A daily video presented by Nadine Kadaan which introduces a simple act
- A teacher guide outlining the five videos which introduces the associated activity (download relevant resource from the selection below)
- An extract from Nadine Kadaan's book which supports the learning sequence
- A carefully curated booklist for Refugee Week 2026
Resources will be available to download on this page soon.
Pupils aged 8 to 11 (KS2, P4-7)
On Wednesday 17 June at 10am, pupils are invited to take part in our live event, where writer and cartoonist RAMZEE will share their specially commissioned poem and offer a behind‑the‑scenes look at their creative writing process. Our four part learning sequence aims to support pupils in crafting their own courage‑inspired poem after the event, whilst developing pupils key reading, writing, and oracy skills exploring how language can make others feel included and valued and build understanding and empathy.
What's included
- A live, online writing workshop with writer and cartoonist RAMZEE.
- A specially commissioned poem written by RAMZEE
- A teacher guide with a four-part learning sequence
Resources will be available to download on this page soon.
Students aged 11 to 14 (KS3, S1-3)
Throughout Refugee Week, pupils are invited to engage with a powerful pre‑recorded event featuring acclaimed author Sita Brahmachari and poet Hamida Khoder. In this thoughtful conversation, they explore how language can empower refugees to share their stories, express identity, and make their voices heard, as well as the lasting impact that words can have on individuals and communities.
Through their discussion, students will see how storytelling can challenge assumptions, build empathy, and bring people together. The speakers reflect on the importance of being able to speak and be heard, and how creative expression can be a source of strength and connection.
After watching the event, students will take part in a creative writing activity that encourages them to reflect on these themes. Drawing on their reading, writing, and oracy skills, they will explore how their own words can communicate experiences, express ideas, and help foster understanding between people.
What's included
- An event featuring Sita Brahmachari and Hamida Khoder - pre-recorded allowing you to access on demand at a time that works for you
- A teacher guide with a 30-minute standalone session linked to the Refugee Week theme (download the relevant resource from the selection below)
- Hamida Khoder’s poem “I Chose to Live, To the One Who Doesn’t Know My Story”
As part of this pre-recorded event, we are asking students to send in their questions for Hamida or Sita to membership@literacytrust.org.uk
Resources will be available to download on this page soon.
For updates about future events and classroom resources, including Refugee Week 2026, register for our Training and Resources newsletter: sign up here!