Who, what, where & why

Coventry Welcomes Festival is a week-long festival celebrated within the framework of the national Refugee Week refugeeweek.org.uk, on or around the 20th of June of every year.

Over the years, Refugee Week has brought together people of all backgrounds to celebrate the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and the welcome offered to them by British communities.

This year launches the ‘Coventry Welcomes Festival’ as a brand to promote a more inclusive image of the city with a diverse population. The festival will follow the national theme “You, Me and Those Who Came Before” as an invitation to explore the lives of refugees – and those who have welcomed them – throughout generations.

The Partnership

The festival is coordinated by key partners; Coventry City of Culture, Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre (CRMC), Maokwo, Positive youth Foundation, and Coventry City Council.

Their vision is to highlight Coventry’s reputation for being a city of Sanctuary, Peace and Reconciliation representing a city of unity, compassion and love.

Coventry Welcomes aims to:

• Develop partnerships with an inclusive and diverse vision.
• Raise awareness of the journeys travelled by refugees and migrants.
• Promote resilience and contribution of refugees to our city.
• Recognise the importance of celebrating diversity in our city.