For the first time, Portugal will host Refugee Week, a special arts and culture festival running from June 16 to 22. The week-long celebration aims to honour and highlight the contributions of migrant and refugee communities across the country, while promoting inclusion, creativity, and unity.
The event was co-founded by two artists—Carlota, from Porto, and MoYah, a rapper and activist originally from Mozambique. Inspired by the success of Refugee Week in the United Kingdom, where MoYah now lives, they decided it was time for Portugal to have its version of the festival.
Refugee Week is already known as the world’s largest cultural celebration focused on the lives and stories of migrants and refugees. According to MoYah, many positive changes and opportunities have emerged from the UK edition, and he believes the same can happen in Portugal.
“I grew up in Portugal and faced a lot of racism,” MoYah explained. “I want to help bring people together, create understanding, and give refugee communities a platform to be seen and heard.”
The Portuguese edition will be held in a decentralized format, meaning that individuals and communities are free to propose and organize their own events under the festival’s umbrella. So far, about 20 events are scheduled to take place in cities like Lisbon, Porto, Covilhã, and Leiria.
These include a wide range of activities: art exhibitions, live music, poetry readings, workshops, community picnics, and cultural gatherings. Each event is designed to highlight this year’s theme, The Power of Community, which focuses on how small acts of kindness and human connection can shape a better, more united society.
A major highlight of the week will happen on June 21 in Lisbon’s Bombarda Gardens. The space will host a vibrant community picnic featuring performances by refugee artists from Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, and Algeria. These performances aim to showcase the cultural richness that migrants bring to Portugal.
Carlota and MoYah believe the timing of this festival is essential. As Europe—and Portugal—faces growing social tensions and incidents of discrimination, they see this celebration as a way to inspire change and solidarity through culture.
“This is a moment when we need to stand together,” said MoYah. “Art can heal, it can connect us, and it can help us understand each other better.”
The Refugee Week Portugal program is available on their official Instagram page, where visitors can explore the full list of events and learn how to participate or contribute.
This festival is not only about celebration; it is about creating space for all communities to be seen, heard, and valued through culture, stories, and shared human experiences.