Refugee Week Festival: Celebrating Sanctuary

Celebrating Sanctuary will be an afternoon of live music and dance, storytelling, workshops and more, all by people newly arrived in Lewisham from around the world.

Community organisations have joined together to create a programme that will be taking place across the Horniman Museum and Gardens.

This event is part of the Lewisham Refugee Week Festival.

Part of We Are Lewisham, the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture 2022.

Programme

Bandstand

Join us for music, performances, fashion and dance up on the Bandstand. You can also find stalls selling affordable art, coffee, clothing and lots of tasty treats from a collective of refugee artists and organisations.

• Fashion Show: A showcase of traditional clothing from around the world
• Dance Performance: A mix of dances from Latin America with Asociación de Madres y Padres Latinoamericanos and LAF Community Salay UK
• The Flotsam Orchestra: An incredible global roots ensemble
• Open Mic: Readings, spoken word and comedy
• E-S-K-I-S-T-A: (Amharic: እስክስታ) learn traditional Ethiopian dance

Music Gallery

• Sonic Minds: An interactive sculpture co-produced with children and young people who have experienced displacement.
• Safe HAVEN: Join Usman Khalid for a screening of the film Safe HAVEN and audience Q&A.
• Flotsam music workshop: Learn an Afro-Colombian song with Jenny Parra and the Flotsam Orchestra.
• Comedy workshop: An interactive workshop with comedienne Ola Labib.
• #NoticeUs: healing through taking action together: Online performance and discussion on campaign to improve temporary accommodation.

Education Centre

• See an exhibition of phones taken during the 2021 Migrant Connections Festival.
• Mindfulness photography: Connect with nature through photography. This session will include a walk through the Horniman Gardens.
• London Must Act workshop: Find out ways to support a campaign for a humane migration policy for all.
• Marco’s Miracle Mountain – family cookie decoration: Join Refugee Cafe to decorate Ecuadorian biscuits and bread. Fun for all the family!
• What makes a good migrant festival?: This workshop, hosted next to Migrant Connections exhibition space, explores what makes a good migrant festival.
• Calligraphy workshop: Using traditional and modern Persian letters and words create a drawing to take it home.

Hands on Base

• This is London: Short performance following the journeys of migrant women arriving in the UK.
• Storytelling with object handling: Share and create your own story with museum artifacts.
• Desta (Happiness) Workshop: A wellbeing workshop using creativity, discussions exploring our journey and hopes for the future. (Adults and children 10+)

Conservatory

• Information stall: Come and find out about local groups and how you can get involved in upcoming projects and campaigns.
• Art exhibition: showcase of paintings from Create Without Borders
  Messages from the Heart’ – Hope in the Heart X LRMN: This exhibition is a rich collection of images, personal narrative, and more, created by people with Lived Experience.
• Mo Langmuir Installation: A series of 64 small rag paper tiles, painted and sewn together using Sashiko (Japanese stitching technique for visible mending).
• Sanctuary banner.
• Wellbeing session: Head/hand massage, reiki (sign up on the day).
• Tea and biscuits with Refugee Cafe.