Brighton and Hove awarded Council of Sanctuary status at Jubilee Library ceremony
Councillor Mitchie Alexander receives the Council of Sanctuary award on behalf of Brighton and Hove at Jubilee Library. Photo: Brighton and Hove City Council
Brighton and Hove is officially recognised as a Council of Sanctuary
Brighton and Hove City Council has been awarded Council of Sanctuary status, a national accreditation that recognises its commitment to welcoming and supporting newcomers to the city and residents who are seeking sanctuary.
The award was presented to Councillor Mitchie Alexander, Cabinet member for Communities, Equalities, Public Health and Adult Social Care, at a celebration event for Refugee Day. It came from representatives of the local City of Sanctuary group, Sanctuary on Sea, and marks years of work across the council, its libraries and the city's community groups.
The ceremony took place at Jubilee Library on Saturday 20 June, World Refugee Day, and was followed by a joyful programme of live music from Afghanistan, Kurdistan, Senegal, the Levant and Ukraine.
The accreditation is awarded by City of Sanctuary UK, a national charity that has spent two decades building a culture of welcome for people seeking sanctuary across the country, working with councils, schools, libraries, universities, faith groups and community organisations. To achieve the status, the council submitted a three-year action plan, committing to deliver a programme of work that will further embed a culture of welcome across the council and the wider city, including grant funding to support local charities and community groups who work with newcomers.
A real privilege, says Councillor Mitchie Alexander
Speaking at the ceremony, Councillor Mitchie Alexander said it was an honour to accept the award on behalf of the city.
"It's been a real privilege to receive the Council of Sanctuary award on behalf of Brighton and Hove," she said.
"I want to say thank you to the many organisations, residents and volunteers who've made this award possible and who give so much time and energy to helping refugees feel welcome in our city.
"This award reflects a commitment across the council and across the city for making Brighton and Hove an inclusive and welcoming place for all."
The award builds on work that Brighton and Hove's libraries have been doing for years. In 2019, Jubilee Library became only the second library in the country to be awarded Library of Sanctuary status, and in 2024 that commitment was expanded, with the entire library service accredited as a Library Service of Sanctuary. The recognition covers all libraries in the city as safe, inclusive and welcoming spaces for people seeking sanctuary, including those fleeing violence or persecution.
Over the past ten years, the city has taken part in several government programmes to welcome people seeking safety from conflict and instability in their home countries, including Syria, Ukraine and Afghanistan, and has also welcomed individuals from Hong Kong facing increasing risks due to political changes. Alongside this, the city provides support to people awaiting decisions on their asylum applications, and to children and young people who arrive in the UK unaccompanied, helping to provide stability, safety and the opportunity to begin recovering from the trauma of their experiences and journeys.
The recognition arrives the same week the city marked Refugee Week 2026 for the first time as an accredited Council of Sanctuary, with a full programme of events built around this year's theme of courage. Residents and businesses who want to support refugees living and working in the city can find the many ways to help at brighton-hove.gov.uk, with a directory of local services available through Sanctuary on Sea.
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