Image copyright Anu Kumar Amnesty International
Stories of Welcome: Refugee Week 2026
In a time of division and uncertainty, Refugee Week 2026 (14–20 June) is an important opportunity to bring people together to reflect on and celebrate stories that remind us of who we want to be as a country and what’s possible when everyday people take actionand choose to personally welcome a refugee newcomer.
In line with this year’s Refugee Week theme, ‘A Million Stories’, CRSA is offering a simple and meaningful way to enrich events, community gatherings or communications you may be planning during this period – through sharing a Story of Welcome.
Stories of Welcome are real stories from Australia’s growing community sponsorship movement. They explore the human relationships at the heart of refugee welcome and the experiences of everyday Australians coming together to support refugee newcomers – meeting at airports, navigating new jobs and schools, sharing meals, building friendships and learning from one another along the way. These stories reflect diverse communities across Australia and highlight the reciprocity at the core of community sponsorship: as refugee newcomers bring their skills, perspectives and aspirations into their new neighbourhoods, local communities grow stronger, richer, and more connected.
Sharing a Story of Welcome might involve:
- Sharing a short video or case study from CRSA’s Choose Welcome toolkit in your internal or public communications, highlighting how everyday Australians are welcoming refugees through community sponsorship.
- Featuring a speaker or panellist at one of your events, such as:
- a local community member reflecting on their experience of welcoming a refugee household through community sponsorship
- a refugee newcomer sharing their story and what it was like to be welcomed and supported by a group of everyday Australians
- or (subject to location and availability) a member of the CRSA team speaking about the growth and impact of the community sponsorship movement in Australia
If you’d like to discuss the use of a video or case study or explore featuring a speaker or panellist to share their Story of Welcome as part of your Refugee Week plans, please email community@refugeesponsorship.org.au by 30 May. We’d love to hear from you.