UK for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency’s national charity partner for the UK, is launching a ‘Gallery of the (New) Home’ exhibition, as part of this year’s Refugee Week (20-26th June). The Gallery will explore the notion of ‘home’ by asking people to share a photograph of what home means to them.

A variety of people, including refugees, have already submitted photographs, with images ranging from family members, to a beloved childhood toy and even their mum’s cooking. The online gallery is open for submissions throughout the summer, with plans to curate a physical exhibition later this year.

The Gallery of the (New) Home aims to shine a light particularly on what home means for people who have been forced to flee, like Haya, a 20-year-old student, volunteer and refugee from Syria.

Haya, chose a jasmine flower (see submissions below) to reflect what home looks like for her: ”…Anyone who visits Damascus will notice how this particular flower is found everywhere in the city. The smell literally makes one fall in love with the city. Most of the locals will tell you that the jasmine flower is what they love the most about the place…”

The jasmine flower– the national flower of Syria – reminds Haya of home, the place she loved but was forced to flee alongside her family. She and her family embarked on a difficult journey which took them from Syria to Lebanon and Egypt before eventually finding safety in the UK. Haya never expected that she’d leave her country forever, only for two or three months. However, a year after leaving Syria the war was still ongoing. Picking just one photograph for the Gallery was a challenge, as ‘Everything reminds me of Syria,” she said.

This World Refugee Day, Haya reflected on the importance of standing with refugees: “When your friend has a problem, the normal thing to do is to help them, you would not ignore them because you understand how much your friend needs you. You picture yourself in their shoes and how desperate you would be for someone to lend you a hand. The same logic applies to refugees. We must help the millions of refugees fleeing war, so they’re not stranded with nobody by their side. It is such a horrible thought, even forgetting one person is a disaster to humanity.”

Emma Cherniavsky, Chief Executive of UK for UNHCR commented: “The beauty and variety of images in the Gallery are incredibly inspiring, and manage to convey both unique, deeply personal meanings of ‘home’ and a unifying sense of home as a place of safety and comfort.

“My personal photo submission is of a toy owl I’ve had since I was younger. He has been at my side in every new place I have lived in. He reminds me that from a young age I have always found my way, thanks to the wisdom and kindness of others. That is what home is for me – not a particular place, but the feeling of becoming part of a new community through shared experiences, overcoming adversity together and building friendships that can last a lifetime.

“We hope the Gallery of the (New) Home encourages people to think about home in a new and engaging way, and consider what it takes to find a new home after being forced to flee. Everyone has the right to seek safety, but reaching that safe space is only the start. At UK for UNHCR, we work to help refugees find new, safe homes, places where they can build a better future.”

The number of forcibly displaced people needing a new place to call home recently reached a new milestone, with conflicts in Ukraine and elsewhere pushing the total number above 100 million for the first time[1].

The war in Ukraine is also affecting attitudes towards refugees. A recent survey found that almost two in five (37%) Britons have taken action to support refugees in the last year[2]. Actions taken range from donating money to volunteering or offering refugees a place to stay in your home, with more than half (57%) of respondents saying that their actions were particularly motivated by the war in Ukraine[3].

This Refugee Week, people can stand with refugees by being a part of the Gallery of the (New) Home and uploading a photograph of what home means to them at unrefugees.org.uk/home or visit the site to see images of what home means to refugees, their friends, family and supporters #WithRefugees #WhatHomeMeans.