“"Coming to Brighton & Hove has given us a really great opportunity and we are so grateful to be here. Myself and my siblings had a lot of opportunities to do well and grow and some of these opportunities we might not have had back home. From what I can remember, the council have been such great help when arriving in the country. I know I don’t remember much, but I remember a lot of support when starting school. I was really grateful for it and it made it less daunting. Brighton & Hove is a great city, and I really could not see myself living anywhere else. It can be lonely at times, because most of my family members are still in Ethiopia. We still do weekly meet ups every Saturday, as the community, to check in how everyone is doing, to get together and share the culture, and they all visit each other houses so the community is close knit and very tight."
Oromo Community Celebrates 20 Years in Brighton & Hove
A special event marked two decades since the arrival of Ethiopian refugees, fostering culture and community integration.
By Natalie Osborne
••4 min read
AI
Generic image of a community celebration with people of diverse ethnicities sharing food and music.
The Oromo community in Brighton & Hove marked its 20th anniversary of arrival in the city with a celebration on Saturday 24 October, reflecting on their journey and integration.
As Black History Month concludes, Brighton & Hove has commemorated the 20th anniversary of the Oromo community's arrival from Ethiopia. A celebration was held on Saturday 24 October at the MET College in East Brighton, marking two decades since the community settled in the city as part of the Gateway Protection Programme (GPP).
The event brought together friends and families to share speeches, enjoy traditional music, hot food, and dancing. The Gateway Protection Programme, introduced by the government in the early 21st century, aimed to resettle vulnerable refugees in the UK. Brighton & Hove City Council was an early participant, welcoming 79 refugees in autumn 2006. Many of the adults originated from Ethiopia, having fled persecution, with some children born in refugee camps.
The Oromo community, primarily from the Oromo ethnic group facing persecution in Ethiopia at the time, found a new home in a city without a pre-existing Oromo population. Services and professionals worked to facilitate their settlement, including the establishment of a temporary school at Hove Park School for children of all ages to ease their transition into the UK education system. Interpreters were sourced from London to bridge communication gaps.
Over the years, with support from council grants, the Oromo Community in Brighton & Hove has actively worked to preserve Oromo culture, cuisine, and language. They have organised musical events attracting attendees from across the UK and beyond. A separate Oromo women's group meets weekly, providing a crucial support network. Children and grandchildren of the original arrivals have been born in Brighton & Hove, making the community an integral part of the city's fabric.
Initially, adults faced challenges finding work due to difficulties replicating their previous professions and a lack of formal education for some. However, many members of the community now work for the council, in schools, and for contractors as cleaners, carers, and security guards.
Councillor Mitchie Alexander, Cabinet member for Communities, Equalities, Public Health and Adult Social Care, acknowledged the city's commitment to being a 'City of Sanctuary'. She expressed gratitude to the Oromo community for helping the city become more welcoming and inclusive, and thanked the services and professionals who supported the newcomers' settlement.
Councillor Mitchie Alexander stated: “Brighton & Hove prides itself on being a City of Sanctuary, a place where people are welcome no matter where they come from, a city where difference is celebrated. I know we don’t always get things right, but we continue to work hard, to learn, to listen and grow. I want to thank each and every one of the members of the Oromo community for helping us to learn how to be more welcoming, how to be more inclusive and how to be everything we strive to be. Each and every one of you can now call Brighton & Hove your home, have helped make our city the unique place it is today. I also want to thank all the services and professionals who helped our newcomers settle, for the dedication, care and love that they showed.”
Based on information from the official source: Brighton and Hove City Council (02/11/2026)
