Celebrating Sanctuary, Resilience, and Community: Highlights from Refugee Week 2025 at St Mary’s University Twickenham

On a bright June morning, the historic halls of St Mary’s University buzzed with hope, solidarity, and inspiration as we gathered to mark Refugee Week 2025 and the university’s remarkable 175th anniversary. In partnership with St Mary’s University Twickenham and Centre for Research into the Education of Marginalised Children and Young Adults (CREMCYA), Voice4Change England (V4CE) was honoured to co-host a celebration that brought together refugee communities, local organisations, academics, and allies.

Inspiring Talks and Personal Stories

The day opened with a heartfelt welcome from Neena Samota (Chair, V4CE and Programme Director for Criminology and Sociology, St Mary’s University Twickenham) and Professor Mike Seal (Director, CREMCYA). Their words set the tone for a day dedicated to social justice, equity, and the transformative power of education.

One of the morning’s highlights was a research presentation by Hannah Copeland (Research Assistant, Refugee Education Project), who traced St Mary’s University’s 175-year legacy of welcoming refugee students. Her presentation was beautifully complemented by Saleh Faghihi, a St Mary’s student and 2025 BUCS Weightlifting Champion, who shared his personal journey of resilience and the life-changing impact of support and belonging.

Aaron Hardy (Head of Refugee Services, Richmond and Wandsworth Councils) provided an insightful overview of local services and the boroughs’ commitments as newly accredited Boroughs of Sanctuary. His talk underscored the vital role of local government and voluntary sector partnerships in supporting sanctuary seekers.

Voices of Experience: Journeys of Hope

The event’s most moving moments came from Naqib Ahmadi and Solomiia Matsola, both alumni of St Mary’s University Twickenham. Naqib’s poetry and reflections on compassion and shared humanity resonated deeply, while Solomiia’s account of displacement and the transformative power of education reminded us all of the importance of academic institutions as spaces of hope and belonging.

Workshops: Building Resilience and Community Power

Dr. Sharmin Shajahan (Deputy Director, V4CE) led two dynamic workshops. The first explored democratic and civic participation (part of the education activity funded by the GLA Democratic Participation Grant) equipping attendees with tools to build community resilience and political literacy. The second focused on developing social entrepreneurship, highlighting the theme “community as a superpower.” Both sessions sparked lively discussion, practical ideas, and new connections among participants.

A Space for Connection and Collaboration

The event concluded with a vibrant networking lunch, where attendees shared experiences, forged new partnerships, and reflected on the day’s learnings. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing gratitude for the welcoming atmosphere, the diversity of voices, and the actionable insights gained.

"Refugee Voices, University Roots was an incredible, moving, thought provoking and valuable day. I particularly enjoyed the the workshop ‘community as superpower’ that revealed how speaking up about an issue can lead to such important developments and positive social changes. This work is so vital and our students at St Mary’s will continue to benefit from this learning," said Maria Mellins, Criminology and Community Safety at St Mary’s University, Twickenham.

"It was a real pleasure for V4CE to collaborate with St Mary’s University in celebrating their remarkable 175th anniversary alongside Refugee Week. Together, we created a meaningful space for learning, reflection, and connection. As part of the celebrations, V4CE delivered a political literacy workshop—funded by the GLA—to promote democratic and civic participation, along with a “Community as a Superpower” session that celebrated the strength, resilience, and achievements of refugee communities. It was a wonderful opportunity to share stories, spark inspiration, and strengthen our shared sense of community," said Dr. Sharmin Shajahan, Deputy Director at Voice4Change England.

“Such a powerful and heart-warming day celebrating resilience, stories, and solidarity. Events like this remind us why community, belonging, and collective action matter so deeply—especially during Refugee Week,” said Shuqi Zhou, Marketing and Communications Officer at Voice4Change England.

Looking Ahead: Strengthening Sanctuary and Solidarity

As we reflect on this special day, we are reminded that the journey toward equity and inclusion is ongoing. Voice4Change England remains committed to building a stronger, more inclusive civil society, one where Black and Minoritised Ethnic (BME) communities, refugees, and all those facing disadvantage are empowered to thrive.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our partners at St Mary’s University Twickenham, our inspiring speakers and panellists, and every attendee who brought their passion and perspective to the event. Together, we are building a future where community truly is our superpower.

Catch a quick recap of the event in our video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH_eD5c6ROw