2026 theme  – a million stories

One million refugees have been welcomed by Australia since World War Two. Refugee Week 2026 is a moment to reflect on that milestone and to celebrate the million stories behind it.

The Salvation Army Australia celebrates this milestone, highlighting Australia’s ongoing commitment to providing a safe haven for those fleeing persecution and conflict, and recognises the immense contributions refugees make to our society.

This year also marks 40 years of Refugee Week: sharing stories, challenging stereotypes, and building a more compassionate society.

Refugee Week events and activities continue to demonstrate the determination, openness and pride of our community in creating awareness of the contributions and journey of refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia.

It’s a unique opportunity for us all to experience and celebrate the rich diversity of refugee communities through theatre, music, dance, film, and other activities that take place across Australia (www.refugeeweek.org.au).

The Salvation Army has a host of mission resources for Refugee Week, and they can be found on MySalvos here.

International call

As Europe recovered from the devastation of World War Two, Australia responded to an international call to offer a future to people with nowhere to call home. Since that initial agreement in 1947 to receive 4000 refugees from Central Europe, Australia has issued one million permanent humanitarian visas – welcoming people from all parts of the globe, people who have helped to build modern Australia.

Refugee Week 2026 is a time to reflect on that milestone and to celebrate the million stories behind it. Each story is unique.

Each one is powerful. And together, they shape the Australia we all call home today. In Refugee Week, we look back, but also to the future.

• How can we continue to welcome people in need of safety?

• What more can we do, as individuals and communities, to offer support

and understanding?

• And how can each of us show kindness and help people feel they belong?

Celebrating courage and resilience

Refugee Week is the world’s largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.

The festival is a partnership project coordinated by the UK-based organisation, Counterpoints Arts.

Last year, the number of people forced to flee their homes exceeded 117 million due to conflict, violence, human rights violations and persecution. Over 36 million of these became refugees.

Conflict is one of the main drivers of displacement, and 67 per cent of all refugees originated from just five countries: Syria, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Sudan and Venezuela. (www.worldvision.org.uk)

Inspired by the lives and experiences of people seeking sanctuary, World Refugee Week 2026 invites us to explore the theme of Courage.

For refugees around the world, courage is often a daily necessity. It is the courage to face unknown journeys, learn new languages, navigate unfamiliar systems, or simply to wake up each morning and step into an uncertain world.

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, to imagine new possibilities, to dream, to heal, and to connect.

Courage isn’t always loud or bold. It can be found in simple acts: opening your door to a neighbour, trying new food, reading a book, or watching a film that changes your view of the world. It can be speaking up, asking for help, sharing your story – or simply having the courage to be yourself.

Through art, stories and community, we celebrate the courage that lives within us all – and how connection helps it grow.

– Fay Foster