This year’s Exeter Refugee Week takes place from Saturday 17 to Saturday 24 June. It includes a community day featuring arts and crafts, live music, food stalls and activities for children and adults as well as two film screenings.
Exeter Phoenix is screening On Our Doorstep on Saturday 17 June. This new documentary follows life on the ground in the “Calais jungle”, a refugee and immigrant encampment that existed from January 2015 to October 2016. It uses footage from activists, volunteers and refugees who lived and worked there.
After the film there will be a Q&A with the director Thomas Laurance.
On Tuesday 20 June it will screen Limbo, a 2020 comedy-drama set on a remote Scottish island focussed on four asylum seekers awaiting the outcome of their asylum claims.
This film will be followed by a panel conversation hosted by Refugee Support Devon.
A community day will then be held on Saturday 24 June at the Exeter Quay Transit Shed.
It will include live music, dance, arts and crafts and food. There will be drumming and dance with Shumba Arts and a band of refugee musicians from Ottery will play traditional music.
Other organisations taking part include Exeter City of Sanctuary, Devon County Council, Devon Ukrainian Association, Wellbeing Exeter, Hikmat Devon, Exeter Communities Together and Inclusive Exeter.
Refugee Week takes place in June each year. It features arts, cultural and educational events aimed at celebrating the contributions of refugees to local communities. This year’s theme is “compassion”.
This year’s Exeter events are co-ordinated by Refugee Support Devon, a charity set up in 2001 to support refugees and their families.
It aims to help refugees settle successfully in the community so they can reach their full potential, rebuild their lives in safety and dignity and be treated with respect and understanding as equal members of society.
Exeter Refugee Week takes place from Saturday 17 June to Saturday 24 June 2023.
Exeter Phoenix is screening On Our Doorstep at 3pm on Saturday 17 June and Limbo at 5.30pm on Tuesday 20 June.
Tickets for each screening cost £8, or £5 for students and under 25s, and can be purchased via the Exeter Phoenix website.
The community event takes place from 11am-3pm on Saturday 24 June at the transit shed on Exeter Quay. Visit Refugee Support Devon’s website to find out more.
