Peter WalshA week of arts, cultural and educational events will be held in Norwich and Norfolk to celebrate national Refugee Week from June 14 to June 20.Peter Walsh

A week of arts, cultural and educational events will be held in Norwich and Norfolk to celebrate national Refugee Week.

Running from June 14 to June 20, it is the only UK-wide programme of events that promotes the importance of sanctuary and the benefits it can bring to both refugees and host communities.

This year Refugee Week events are being planned across Norwich and for the first time across the whole of Norfolk as members of the community, groups, businesses and organisations get inspired and decide to put on an event.

Whatever people are into, whether its arts, music, food or just meeting people, there will be an event for everyone during the seven-day event.

Pa Musa Jobarteh, the 2010 co-ordinator for Refugee Week events in Norfolk, said: 'It's been exciting to see the interest in Refugee Week grow every year in Norwich and now across the county.

'Our local theme for the Norwich and Norfolk Refugee Week 2010 is community cohesion and engagement. We hope people will come and enjoy the events. Norwich and Norfolk is proud of its history of welcoming newcomers into the community and Refugee Week is another way of celebrating the contribution of refugees to Norfolk's past and present.'

For more information about events log onto http://bridgeplus.org.uk/html/refugee_week_2010.html