Refugee Week 2025
Established in 1998 in the UK, Refugee Week takes place every year around World Refugee Day (20th June) and has since grown into a global movement. Refugee Week has evolved into an international movement, with events spanning the globe.
Refugee Week 2025, taking place from 16–22 June, invites us all to celebrate “Community as a Superpower”—a timely reminder of how kindness, connection, and solidarity can reshape lives.
In September 2019, St Andrews became the second University of Sanctuary in Scotland, in recognition of our commitment to ensuring St Andrews is a welcoming, safe and supportive environment for scholars and students seeking sanctuary in the UK.
Please see the University Sanctuary page for more information about the university’s work around Sanctuary.
Events programme 2025
Monday 16 to Sunday 22 June
The library has curated a reading list to help deepen understanding of forced migration. We’ve also organised a book display in the Main Library, for a selection of titles around forced migration. Find out more about the library reading list and book display.
Tuesday 17 June (2-3 pm)
Join us for an online information session about the Sanctuary at University of St Andrews. This session will highlight the efforts and initiatives taken to support sanctuary scholars and how the university responded to different humanitarian crises.
To register, please contact [email protected]
Friday 20 June
Film screening (13:15 pm):
Fremont, Director: Babak Jalali (Running time 1h 30m)
Synopsis: A moving and hilarious comedy-drama starring Anaita Wali Zada and The Bear’s Emmy award-winning Jeremy Allen White. Donya, a young Afghan who moved to Fremont, California after serving as a translator for the American army, spends her days working at a fortune cookie factory and her nights wide awake battling between her desire to rebuild her life and the overbearing guilt she carries within. In a bid to connect with the world, she sends an unconventional message through a fortune cookie.
Themes: Afghanistan, Survivor’s guilt, Comedy
Film screening ( 15:00 pm):
Life is Beautiful: A Letter to Gaza, Director: Mohamed Jabaly (Running time 1h 36m)
Synopsis: Exiled above the arctic circle in Norway and refusing to accept the boundaries imposed by international politics & rigid bureaucracy, Palestinian filmmaker Mohamed Jabaly insists on telling heartfelt stories from his hometown Gaza. Despite his statelessness and having only limited connection to his family abroad, he manages to channel support from friends and his own creativity, adhering to his motto LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL. And throughout it all, he fights for his rights with integrity, community, and a smile for the world
Themes: Gaza, Palestine, War, Family
To register, please contact [email protected]
Sunday 22 June
‘Rewrite the future with refugee tales’. Taking place on Sunday 22nd June, there will be a Refugee Tales walk beginning at Craigtoun Country Park and ending at the Wardlaw Museum. Held during Refugee Week, this walk continues the work of Refugee Tales and Professor David Herd, highlighted in the Rewrite the Future exhibition.