Courage, Conversations, Collage

Join us to celebrate Refugee Week in the second event of our Sanctuary in Sydenham series!

The theme of Refugee Week 2026 is Courage. 'At a time when some seek to divide and blame, Refugee Week 2026 calls us to come together and share the courage to welcome, to stand for what we believe in, and to celebrate culture and community – to be joyful, imagine new possibilities, dream, heal, and connect.' (Refugee Week). Join a panel of individuals with lived experience of migration to hear about their stories and learn what courage and sanctuary mean to them - and how we can make Sydenham a more welcoming place for all.

Then, explore our array of arts & crafts materials to share your own stories through collage, art, writing, or the medium of your choice! Chat with other participants over refreshments and engage with the local community and its past and future. You will have the opportunity for your page to be scanned and included in a collective zine about the past and present of Sanctuary in Sydenham, which will be contributed to the Lewisham Community Zine Library. The Zine Library will be available to explore throughout the event.

This event is free and all materials are provided. Booking a place allows us to know how many people to expect, but walk-ins are welcome as space permits.

This event is part of Calico Libraries' Sanctuary in Sydenham series, kindly made possible by Borough of Sanctuary.

About the panellists:

Jane Mugo (she/her) is a campaigner who has lived in the UK for 20 years. She has struggled with mental illness and homelessness, and now speaks about the impact of immigration legislation on women.

REGGIE is a South African migrant living in the UK for the past nineteen years. He is a sanctuary ambassador with the Lewisham Borough of Sanctuary and is involved in many activist programs aimed at highlighting the challenges faced by refugees and migrants.

Dr Malé Luján Escalante is a Senior Lecturer in Co-Design for UAL: MA Service Design, where she directs the international research hub, isITethical. Her design trajectory works within the emergency response & risk management sector, particularly establishing collaborations with vulnerable communities and displaced people, including refugees, in the UK and South East Asia. She leads projects involving communities, local authorities, and industry and cultural sectors with a sustained focus on co-designing tools for ethical collaboration for social innovation.