Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown has opened this year’s Refugee Week with a programme built around courage, community and belonging. In one of the most meaningful pieces of Dublin news this week, the county’s events and exhibitions are bringing residents together to reflect on displacement, resilience and the value of a welcoming local community.
The 2026 festival also marks 75 years since the Refugee Convention, the international agreement that affirms protection and dignity for people forced to flee conflict and persecution. In Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, the local programme is being coordinated by the dlr Local Authority Integration Team, with exhibitions, discussions, arts events and community gatherings designed to deepen understanding while celebrating cultural diversity.
Dublin News Spotlight: What dlr Refugee Week 2026 Is About
Refugee Week Ireland is an annual national festival centred on compassion and connection, and this year’s local dlr theme is “Courage.” The official launch took place at dlr LexIcon Library, where Cathaoirleach Councillor Barry Saul opened the exhibitions and encouraged the public to attend the free events running across the week.
According to the council, the programme aims to:
- Share personal stories of displacement and rebuilding life in Ireland
- Promote inclusion, friendship and integration across communities
- Create space for learning through art, film, discussion and performance
- Highlight the contributions of people who now call Ireland home
For readers following Dublin business and civic life, the week also reflects how local authorities, universities, volunteer groups and arts organisations can collaborate to strengthen social cohesion.
Read more: latest Ireland updates | Ireland public affairs coverage
Key Exhibitions at dlr LexIcon Library
A major draw of the programme is the set of exhibitions on Floors 3 and 4 of dlr LexIcon, on display until 28 June. These presentations offer deeply personal perspectives on memory, migration and hope.
Objects of War and Memory
Created with UCD, this exhibition features treasured belongings brought to Ireland by refugees. Set alongside historical objects from Ireland’s own past, it draws thoughtful connections between today’s displacement crises and earlier experiences of war, oppression and loss.
Collage of Courage
Led by the dlr Volunteer Centre with artist Misha Zehra Abbas of IADT, this collaborative work explores what courage looks and feels like through shapes, patterns, symbols and words. It also includes volunteer-created craft items linked to community integration efforts.
Courage Ezine Arts & Integration Project
Developed by the Dalkey Inter Church Migrant Support Group, this collection of poetry and visual art emerged from workshops involving both long-time residents and newer arrivals, focusing on resilience, adversity and shared strength.
Where We Are Now
This exhibition presents photographs by young Ukrainians living in Ireland. Produced with Southside Partnership DLR and Photo Museum Ireland, the work captures everyday places, people and moments that shape a new sense of home.
Explore more: Ireland culture and society features | community news from Ireland
Events Still to Come This Week
Several public events continue through 19 June, including:
- Panel discussion: “Stories of our journeys – Courage & Hope”
- Online Rainbow Refugees awareness session hosted by LGBT Ireland
- Multi Cultural Women’s Breakfast at dlr LexIcon
- Screening of The Swimmers organised by the dlr Integration Forum
All events are free, reinforcing a strong message that access, participation and dialogue matter in public life. While topics such as Ireland residency and support pathways often dominate broader migration discussions, this programme keeps the focus on lived experience, local connection and dignity.
Why This Matters for Dublin
This edition of Dublin news is about more than an event listing. dlr Refugee Week shows how culture can open conversations that policy alone cannot. Through exhibitions, shared stories and public participation, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown is offering a practical example of inclusion in action.
For anyone looking to understand the human side of migration in modern Ireland, this Dublin news story stands out as a reminder that welcome begins locally. Article/Image Courtesy: Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council
