Celebrating Courage and Compassion: Chief Commissioner Highlights Support for Refugees and Asylum-Seekers in Northern Ireland
Ahead of World Refugee Day (20 June 2026), the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission highlights the positive contribution of refugees and asylum-seekers to our society and emphasises the important role of everyone in Northern Ireland to ensure their human rights are protected, and they are free to live in safety and with dignity.
NIHRC Chief Commissioner, Alyson Kilpatrick, said:
"We are delighted to support World Refugee Day and Refugee Week 2026. This year’s theme ‘Courage’ highlights not only the courage of those seeking sanctuary in Northern Ireland but also the courage of individuals and communities who welcome them with open arms and help them feel at home. We all must do that.
This year’s Refugee Week marks the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, an international agreement created in the aftermath of the Second World War and the conflict which forced vast numbers of people to flee persecution. The Refugee Convention defines what it means to be a refugee, provides vital human rights protections to those fleeing persecution, and ensures people can live in safety and with dignity. It is as vital now as it was when it was created three quarters of a century ago.
On this important day, we are emphasising the universality of rights. They are for everyone, regardless of background, circumstance, or status. They are there to protect us, empower us, and allow us to grow and flourish in society. Tragically, we see an increase in racist hate crimes and incidents in Northern Ireland. Recent events demonstrate the critical need for us to restate our commitment to the right of people to seek sanctuary. We must do all we can to uphold and protect the fundamental human rights of refugees, asylum-seekers, and displaced persons. We are only entitled to argue that we are a human rights-based society if we protect all those who are here, whenever and however they got here. Human life, all human life, is precious and cannot be categorised according to status. If it is, no life is truly precious.
We wish everyone a wonderful Refugee Day 2026 and look forward to celebrating with you at the Great Belfast Picnic.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
The PSNI released an update on hate crime statistics in Northern Ireland on 14 May 2026, showing a rise in racist hate crimes and incidents: Incidents and Crimes with a Hate Motivation Recorded by the Police in Northern Ireland Update to 31st March 2026
Additional information
The NI Human Rights Commission is a statutory public body established in 1999 to promote and protect human rights. In accordance with the Paris Principles, the Commission reviews the adequacy and effectiveness of measures undertaken by the UK Government to promote and protect human rights, specifically within Northern Ireland. Find out more about the work of the Commission here: https://nihrc.org/
Refugee Week 2026 runs from 15 – 21 June. It takes place each year to honour refugees and appreciate the contributions, creativity, and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. You can find out more about Refugee Week events in Northern Ireland here: https://refugeeweek.org.uk/
The Great Belfast Picnic, formerly known as the Great Refugee Week Picnic, is organised by Belfast City of Sanctuary and has been an annual event since 2017. It falls on Saturday 20th June 2026. For more information, visit: https://events.humanitix.com/the-great-refugee-week-picnic-2026-courage
Read more about the 1951 Refugee Convention here: https://www.unhcr.org/uk/about-unhcr/overview/1951-refugee-convention