As part of Refugee Week 2025, we were invited to take part in a special service on Sunday 22nd June at the Unitarian Church on New Road, Brighton. The theme of this year’s Refugee Week, Community as a Superpower, felt especially fitting as we reflected on faith, belonging, and the shared humanity that connects us all.
The service, led by Rev Jennifer Sanders, brought together powerful images, moving words, and some of the stories of people who have been personally affected by migration or seeking asylum.
As part of the service, our Director Alison Kelly spoke to the congregation about the history and impact of Voices in Exile, the challenges facing our service users today, and the growing importance of standing in solidarity with refugees and migrants. She called on us all to challenge anti-migrant rhetoric and celebrate the vital contributions migrants make to our communities, reminding us that Refugee Week is not only a moment of reflection, but a call to action.
A highlight of the morning was the striking photography exhibition, The Faces of Voices in Exile, by Carlos Jasso. Through his photography, Carlos aims to highlight the individuals within the Voices in Exile community – not as numbers, statistics, or outsiders, but as people building new lives, friendships, and identities. The exhibition was a tribute to the richness migrants bring to their new communities, the knowledge they share, and the resilience they embody. By showcasing their portraits, Carlos reminds us that, at our core, we are all human. Regardless of our beliefs, or backgrounds, we are individuals deserving of dignity, respect, and a place to belong.
We were also deeply moved by a poetry reading from Nematullah (Nemat) Ahangosh, who shared three poems from his collection The Colour of Peace: Perhaps a little worried, Fitting in, and Unleash love?. Each poem reflected lived experiences of migration and the longing for peace, identity, and acceptance.
Nemat’s poetry book The Color of Peace can be purchased here.
One person in the congregation shared afterwards:
“The voices from the service and the pictures really moved me this morning. It was great to be reminded of our common humanity, as our usual daily diet of reporting on refugees has such a negative feel. Thank you for coming and for your work.”
Thank you to everyone who helped to make this event possible and to everyone who came along.
