Sanctuary and solidarity: Rethinking refuge in a divided world
Human Rights Solidarity hosted a Refugee Week panel and art exhibition highlighting refugee resilience, dignity, and global stories of displacement. Human Rights Solidarity (HRS) was proud to present “Sanctuary and Solidarity: Rethinking Refuge in a Divided World,” a thought-provoking panel discussion held alongside the Humanity Cartoons Exhibition as part of Refugee Week 2025. The event took place on 17 June 2025, from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, at City, St George’s, University of London, bringing together diverse voices to address the pressing challenges and transformative potential of forced migration.
Featuring powerful works from artists in over 100 countries, the Humanity Cartoons Exhibition offered a poignant visual narrative of displacement. These artworks transcended language, capturing raw, untold stories often overlooked in mainstream media. Instead of reducing refugees to mere statistics, the exhibition showcased their resilience, dignity, and strength through compelling human portraits.
The discussion featured an exceptional lineup of professors, storytellers, lawyers, and media experts from City, St George’s, who engaged the audience in critical conversations about displacement, identity, justice, and community in an increasingly fractured world. Their insights highlighted the urgent need for solidarity and systemic change.
About Refugee Week
Refugee Week, the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating refugees, was founded in the UK in 1998 and has since grown into a global movement. Held annually around World Refugee Day, its mission is to promote inclusion, amplify refugee voices, and challenge harmful narratives through art, education, and advocacy.
The 2025 theme, “Community as a Superpower,” emphasized the strength of collective action in creating welcoming spaces for refugees. In 2024, the festival saw over 15,000 events worldwide with 1.3 million participants, ranging from grassroots gatherings to large-scale cultural celebrations. Events include art exhibitions, film screenings, concerts, workshops, and storytelling sessions, many led by refugees themselves.
The evening was filled with powerful reflections and calls to action, featuring moving talks by Prof. Francesca Strumia (City, St George’s), Michel Salamouni (City Cares, City, St George’s), Sanjar Qiam (Storyteller, Kite Maker, and Media Specialist), and Burak Batuhan Karakus, HRS Spokesperson — exploring forced migration, identity, and justice. One speaker poignantly noted:
“A child born in a Rohingya camp doesn’t dream of dependency. She dreams of becoming a teacher.”
With 85% of refugees hosted in resource-strained countries, the panel stressed the urgent need for equitable global responsibility and sustainable solutions. Displacement is not a temporary crisis — it demands bold, long-term strategies that recognize refugees as contributors, not burdens, to society.
“It’s time to replace shame with solutions.”
Refugees are doctors, teachers, entrepreneurs, and artists with immense potential. Beyond emergency aid, investments in education, digital access, legal work rights, and economic opportunities are crucial. In an era of global connectivity, we have the tools to match skills, foster integration, and build stronger communities for all.
HRS extends heartfelt thanks to City, St George’s, University of London for hosting this vital discussion, as well as to the speakers, attendees, and supporters who reaffirmed that community is indeed a superpower. Together, we can create a world where sanctuary and solidarity prevail.
