Cameroonians in Derby have taken part in World Refugee Day commemorations for the first time, using culture, food, music and storytelling to celebrate resilience while raising awareness about the experiences of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.
The event, held in Derby as part of World Refugee Day activities on June 20, brought together communities, local organisations and support groups under this year’s Refugee Week theme, “Courage.” For members of the Cameroonian community in the city, it was both a moment of visibility and a statement of identity: that refugees and migrants are more than the hardship that brought them to safety.
The Cameroon Community Development Centre CIC, known as CCDC CIC, played a leading role in the celebration. The organisation, founded by Ella Benyela, is only four months old, but it successfully pushed for Cameroonians in Derby to be represented at the event and included among the entertainment groups.
Through cultural displays, traditional clothing, music, food and a “Discover Cameroon” banner, the group invited the wider Derby community to learn more about Cameroon, often described as “Africa in Miniature” because of its rich diversity, ten regions and vibrant cultural traditions.
But the participation was not only about celebration. The group also prepared a second banner to raise awareness about the ongoing crisis that has affected many Cameroonian families, forcing some to leave their homes, seek safety abroad and begin the difficult process of rebuilding their lives in countries such as the United Kingdom.
Culture, courage and the refugee journey
For CCDC CIC, the message of the day was clear: refugees and migrants should not be defined only by loss, displacement or struggle. They also carry culture, talent, resilience and a strong desire to contribute positively to the communities they now call home.
“This year’s Refugee Week theme is Courage,” the organisation said. “Today, we recognise that courage is not always loud. Sometimes courage is the decision to continue, to adapt, and to find strength even when the future is uncertain.”
That message reflected the journey of many refugees and people seeking sanctuary who have had to leave familiar places behind while holding on to their identity, hopes and dreams. For many, rebuilding life in a new country means learning new systems, finding community, overcoming isolation and trying to create stability for themselves and their families.
At the Derby event, the Cameroonian community chose to tell that story through colour, rhythm and hospitality. Traditional attire, music and food became tools of connection, allowing people from different backgrounds to encounter Cameroon beyond headlines of conflict or crisis.
“Our message is simple,” the organisation said. “We are more than our struggles. We carry our culture, our resilience, our talents, and our desire to contribute positively to the communities we now call home.”
A new Cameroonian voice in Derby
The Cameroon Community Development Centre CIC is a community-led organisation based in Derby, established to support, empower and bring together Cameroonians and wider migrant communities.
Its mission is to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where individuals and families can access information, build connections, celebrate their cultural identity and integrate successfully into their new communities.
The organisation says it understands the challenges many migrants and refugees face when adapting to life in a new country. These include isolation, lack of information, difficulty navigating services, employment challenges and the emotional weight of starting again far from home.
Through practical support, community engagement, cultural activities and signposting to relevant services, CCDC CIC aims to promote confidence, wellbeing and independence among the people it serves.
The centre supports community integration and settlement, provides information sessions and guidance, signposts people to appropriate services and helps with employment and skills support. It also assists community members with documents, including printing, scanning and form support, while organising cultural events that celebrate heritage and promote diversity.
For Benyela, the World Refugee Day event was an important milestone, not only for the organisation but for Cameroonians living in Derby.
“This is the first time that Cameroonians in Derby have attended and participated in World Refugee Day, and it happened through my CIC,” she said. “The organisation is just four months old, but I had to push for us to participate and also be among the entertainment groups.”
Derby as a place of welcome
CCDC CIC also expressed gratitude to Derby City of Sanctuary and Derby City Council for helping to create an environment where refugees and people seeking sanctuary can feel supported and included.
The organisation described Derby as a place of welcome, hope and belonging, where communities from different backgrounds can come together, share their stories and build relationships.
For many migrant and refugee families, such spaces are vital. They provide not only practical support but also emotional reassurance that people who have arrived in a new country are seen, valued and able to contribute.
The presence of the Cameroonian community at the World Refugee Day celebration therefore carried a wider meaning. It showed how newly formed community organisations can become bridges between migrant communities and the wider society, helping people preserve their identity while also participating fully in local life.
More than survival
World Refugee Day is often marked by stories of displacement, conflict and the search for safety. But in Derby, CCDC CIC used the occasion to highlight another side of the refugee and migrant experience: contribution.
Through its participation, the organisation reminded the public that people seeking sanctuary arrive with skills, traditions, knowledge, creativity and ambition. They are parents, workers, students, artists, professionals, entrepreneurs and community builders.
For the Cameroonian community, the event was an opportunity to share both the beauty of their culture and the realities that have pushed some families into displacement. It was also a chance to say that rebuilding life after crisis is itself an act of courage.
As CCDC CIC continues its work in Derby, its focus remains on supporting communities, celebrating culture and creating opportunities.
For Ella Benyela and the team behind the four-month-old organisation, the World Refugee Day celebration was only the beginning. It marked the emergence of a new community voice in Derby, one determined to help Cameroonians and other migrant communities feel seen, supported and connected.
In a week dedicated to courage, the message from Derby’s Cameroonian community was simple but powerful: they are not only carrying the memory of where they come from; they are also helping shape the future of the place they now call home.
