16-22 June 2025
Community as a Superpower
Refugee Week is a nationwide initiative that celebrates the contributions of refugees to the UK and encourages better understanding between communities. To find out more about Refugee Week click here.
Communities can bring people together, bridging divides and offering support. They can provide spaces of resilience and places for healing. This Refugee Week everyone is invited to build new connections in and beyond our neighbourhoods. Lets share the feelings of welcome and belonging. Listening, learning and laughing together.
Find out more about the lives of refugees at these free workshops and talks at The Higgins Bedford.
Saturday 12 July
Remembering Srebrenica at The Higgins Bedford
Free Event - 11:30am-12:30pm
Recommended age 12 +, no booking required.
Remembering yesterday, Act Today
Join our speaker Paul Salver of The Holocaust Memorial Trust for a talk recognising the 30th Anniversary of the Bosnian genocide at Srebrenica ‘Remembering yesterday, Act Today’. Paul has recently been awarded with the British Empire Medal for his work in Holocaust and genocide education and awareness.
A talk to mark the 30 year anniversary of the Srebrnicia Genocide.
Events that took place at The Higgins Bedford during Refugee Week 2025:
On Friday the 20 June people with lived experience of seeking refuge were invited to participate in a poetry workshop with Malka Al-Haddad. Malka is an Iraqi academic Women's Rights activist and poet. Her debut poetry collection, Birds Without Sky: Poems from Exile, (Harriman House Ltd, 2018) was longlisted for the Leicester Book of the Year award in 2018. Her second collection the truth at the end of the night was donated to The City of Sanctuary UK. Malka says ‘My books are for those who believe in changing the world - I use my poetry to inspire others who are facing these challenges’
On Saturday 21 June artist Bern O’ Donoghue led a free creative workshop exploring themes of exile and refuge. Bern is a socially engaged artist, educator and facilitator who hopes creative acts can improve our world.
There were posters and artworks on display at The Higgins Bedford made by local people with lived experience of seeking refuge. The posters were be on the theme of Refugee Week 2025 which is ‘Community is a SuperPower’.
https://refugeeweek.org.uk/
Wednesday 18 June
11am – 3pm, Refugee Week Market Stall – at Bedford Market
Staff and volunteers from BRASS (Bedford Refugee & Asylum Seeker Support), shared details of the events happening for Refugee Week 2025.
