Refugee Week Malta 2026 Launches with the Theme of Courage

Refugee Week Malta 2026 opened with an evening dedicated to encounter, reflection and shared experience. The launch event, held on 2 June 2026, brought together several participants to discover this year’s programme and reflect on the festival’s central theme: Courage. 

CC picture of the presentation of the Refugee Week Malta 2026

This theme was expressed locally through the Maltese word “Qlubija”. Throughout the event, courage was presented not only as an individual strength, but also as something found in care, fragility, attention, solidarity and collective imagination. Flags displaying the word “courage” in different languages reinforced the universal dimension of the theme and highlighted its relevance across cultures and communities.

CC picture of the theme "courage"

The evening marked the unveiling of the Refugee Week Malta 2026 programme, curated around the theme of Qlubija under the guidance of the Advisory Group. It also introduced the contribution of Blue Door Education and VX Foundry to this year’s festival. 

A key part of the launch was an experiential installation by Dance Beyond Borders, exploring fragility, attention and care as acts of courage. 

The event also featured speeches, artistic interventions and opportunities for dialogue around culture, solidarity and the creation of more welcoming futures.

CC picture of the event

Overall, the launch of Refugee Week Malta 2026 offered a meaningful opening to the festival and placed courage at the centre of conversations about refuge, belonging and community.