Every year on 20 June, World Refugee Day reminds us of the millions of people who have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety. It is a day not for celebration, but for recognition: of the courage of displaced people, the barriers faced, and the responsibility we share to uphold human rights and dignity. 

In Brussels, from 20 to 27 June 2025, refugee-led groups—together with UNHCR and the Brussels Capital Region—are hosting a series of events that bring communities together around shared spaces, shared stories, and shared responsibilities. Through art, food, sport, music, literature, and dialogue, this week offers an opportunity to hear from people with lived experience of displacement—and to stand alongside them. 

Building Community Through Presence and Participation 

This year’s programme centres on the voices and leadership of refugees living in Brussels. It is not about symbolic visibility, but about meaningful presence—on the football pitch, behind the microphone, on the page, and across the table. Refugees are not just participants in these events; they are the organisers, creators, and narrators. 

Brussels Refugee Week invites you to engage with a rich programme of exhibitions, performances, and gatherings that highlight the strength of communities shaped by displacement. Each event is an opportunity to reflect, learn, and contribute to a more inclusive future. 

Programme Overview

Music Evening & Jam Session

We kick off Refugee Week with an evening of music and testimony—a space for reflection where rhythms meet realities. Refugee artists take the mic to share songs and stories shaped by memory and resilience. Then stay and join a live jam session—open, spontaneous, and full of soul. Come listen, come play, come connect!

Football Tournament

Local and refugee teams will meet on the pitch for a day of sport and connection. Football becomes a shared language—one that brings people together beyond borders! Join us on the sidelines or in the stands and be part of the energy!

Cultural Corner

Displacement does not erase identity. On the occasion of Word Refugee Day, come and explore the richness of refugee cultures through refugee-led initaitives showcasing crafts, cuisine, art, and traditions from across the world – an open space where communities in exile encounter the many ways to continue to create, adapt, and thrive. Come meet the communities behind them—and take home more than just a souvenir!

Panel Discussion

How can we break down barriers to refugee inclusion? Join refugee leaders, EU policymakers, and employers for a discussion on access to work, recognition, and long-term integration. Stay after for a cocktail and explore the We’re Better Together exhibition!

Food Distribution

We close the week by sharing food and presence. Meals cooked by refugee communities will be distributed in the streets and shared at a refugee shelter where music, conversation and children’s activities bring neighbours together. Join us!

Why it matters

Across Europe and beyond, displaced people continue to navigate uncertainty, barriers, and exclusion. Brussels Refugee Week is not just a cultural agenda—it is a reminder that behind the statistics are individuals with aspirations, talents, and voices.

Inclusion starts with recognition. Solidarity begins with presence. 

This June, show up. Listen deeply. Take part.