People from across Norfolk and Norwich came together to celebrate Norwich Refugee Week in June. The events included a bike ride, art workshops, guided walks, feasts, dances, music, and a celebration of languages and cultural diversity.

Organised each year by local charity, New Routes, in partnership with a number of groups such as the Welcome Wheels project and Norwich City of Sanctuary’s Art Stream, the week offered a diverse and entertaining choice of events. One of the highlights was the Empathy Museum’s ‘Walk a Mile in My Shoes’ which invited people to put on a pair of shoes that belonged to a refugee, and then listen to them telling their story.

Another was Norfolk Schools of Sanctuary’s ‘Day of Welcome‘ when thousands of pupils and staff from across the county engaged with the topics of migration and displacement and raised funds for this year’s crowdfunder. There is still time to donate if you would like to.

Norwich Refugee Week is part of an international event that celebrates the contribution refugees make when they arrive in a new country and encourages people to show solidarity with them.