Introduction

Refugee Week provides a unique opportunity to celebrate the rich diversity of Australian refugee communities, promote intercultural understanding, and highlight the positive contributions refugees continue to make to Australian society. It is also a time to reflect on the current global and political landscape and raise awareness of the challenges it continues to have on refugees and forcibly displaced people across the world.

Our schools, which currently support the learning, wellbeing and settlement of over 13,000 students from refugee backgrounds, should continue to be spaces where these students are able to rebuild their lives, share their unique perspectives and talents, and settle in their local communities. It is critical that we ensure that students and their families feel safe and welcome in our schools.

2026 theme: A Million Stories

2026 marks the 40th year since the first Refugee Week in Australia. This year’s theme, ‘A Million Stories’, recognises and celebrates the milestone of one million permanent humanitarian visas granted by Australia in support of individuals forcibly displaced as a result of war, conflict, civil unrest and threats to individual human rights. ‘A Million Stories’ also recognises that each story is unique, powerful and is inextricably interwoven into the rich, colourful and ever-evolving tapestry that is modern Australia.

Ways to celebrate

Regardless of their cultural demographics, all NSW public schools and NSW Department of Education offices are encouraged to take the time to acknowledge and celebrate how much Australia benefits from welcoming refugees. This can include:

• hosting morning teas
• planning lessons exploring the contributions of individuals from refugee backgrounds
• holding special assemblies with guest speakers
  
• engaging in professional learning
• engaging with your local community and support agencies.

Safely celebrating Refugee Week

Points for consideration:

• Refugee Week can bring up complex feelings associated with family separation, loss and/or ongoing uncertainty and trauma.
• Refugee Week is about raising awareness rather than celebrating individual students from refugee backgrounds in our schools.
• Students from refugee backgrounds should not be expected to speak about their stories or refugee experiences publicly.
• If students from refugee backgrounds are part of the celebrations, they should participate in safe, ethical trauma-informed ways.
• If staff from refugee backgrounds want to speak about their refugee experiences, schools should ensure the content of their presentation is appropriate and won’t adversely affect any students and staff in their audience.

Safely celebrating Refugee Week resources

• Safety and Ethics in school students telling of refugee stories (PDF 506 KB) – outlines the potential risks of students from refugee backgrounds sharing their refugee stories, and provides some strategies schools can use to provide safe and ethical opportunities for the sharing of these stories.
• Refugee Week in schools: A trauma-informed recovery-oriented approach (PDF 431 KB) – provides schools and teachers with trauma-informed strategies to support students from refugee backgrounds during Refugee Week.
• Supporting students with refugee experience during an international crisis – Provides considerations and strategies for students who may be impacted by international crises.
• Witness to War: National multilingual telephone hotline – a confidential service available to support individuals and communities across Australia impacted/affected by overseas conflicts.
  

Additional resources

• Refugee Week – provides up-to-date Refugee Week information and resources.
• Refugee Week Principal toolkit – key information for principals.
• Henry Parkes Equity Resource Centre – where staff can recommend suitable resources which teachers can borrow and use in the classroom.