Refugee Week

Happening every year around the time of World Refugee Day (20 June), Refugee Week is a global festival that celebrates the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary, through a rich variety of artistic expression.

For this year’s Refugee Week programme at Southbank Centre, visitors can look forward to a colourful programme of music, talks, film, spoken word and the inaugural Counterpoints Lecture.

It Sounds Like Courage: Music and Solidarity 

Fri 26 Jun 2026, 7.30pm at Royal Festival Hall
Anoushka Shankar and Counterpoints Arts co-curate an evening of music and spoken word. Hosted by comedian Nish Kumar, the evening features performances from singer and flautist Nai Barghouti with the London Contemporary Orchestra, Mozambican rapper MoYah and spoken word from Nikita Gill and Salena Godden, with more to be announced.

Counterpoints Lecture with Elif Shafak 

Sat 27 Jun 2026, 2pm at Queen Elizabeth Hall
The global bestselling writer and activist explores the link between creativity and courage and whether creativity can help heal our divided world in this inaugural lecture, showing how artists from regions affected by war, violence and political extremism can offer vital insights and new ways of seeing, questioning and imagining.

Our HeartBeats: Courage in Creativity 

Sat 27 Jun 2026, 2pm on the Riverside Terrace
Soak up the energy at a day-to-night celebration of global club sounds, community and music on the Riverside Terrace. Entrance is free.

Arab Film Club: An Afternoon of Shorts and Q&A

Sun 28 Jun 2026, 3pm at the Purcell Room
A programme of exceptional short films spotlighting refugee narratives and stories of migration, curated by actor and writer Sarah Agha. The screening is followed by a Q&A hosted by Sarah Agha with the film-makers on stage.