They say that home is where the heart is. But for many of Oxford's refugees, home is a dangerous place.

Refugee Week 2007, which starts today (Monday), aims to bring refugee experiences to a wider audience and show the positive contribution they make to the community.

In Oxford, a series of events starts with the launch of a new book, How the World Came to Oxford - Refugees Past and Present.

Published by the Oxford Literary Festival, in association with local refugee support organisations, Asylum Welcome and Refugee Resource, the book has a foreword by author Mark Haddon and consists of interviews with Oxford refugees past and present.

Among them is the story of Rita Fatimaharan, 49, who was on her way to work as a teacher in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on July 25, 1983, when she became caught up in a massacre of fellow Tamils by members of Sri Lanka's Sinhalese population.

She said: "(At the school), my colleagues came and told me that people with knives were searching for Tamil teachers.

"Our rector said 'stay in school'. But my next-door neighbour came to pick up his son. He drove me and my nephew home, telling us to keep our heads down and not to look out of the window. But we couldn't help but see the blood, smell the burning and hear the terrible noises of people being killed."

Mrs Fatimaharan and her family sheltered in a neighbour's house for a week. But the unrest continued and she and her husband Joseph eventually fled to India.

She said: "In 1991, we came to the UK. I had two sons. Another was born in the UK. But it took 10 years to get permanent residence here."

After studying at Oxford Brookes University, she now works as a language teacher at the Asian Cultural Centre, in Manzil Way, East Oxford, and as an interpreter in Oxfordshire and London.

She and her husband are also involved with the TTN, the Tamil TV Network, based in Paris. She said: "I am so proud to live here in Oxford. My Sri Lankan friends call me an Oxfordtarian.

"I am also very proud to be part of this book, because people who live in Britain might not know much about the backgrounds of refugees. Refugee Week is also very important, as it brings people together to share their cultures, their happiness and their sadness."

How the World Came to Oxford was compiled by Oxford author Nikki van der Gaag and photographer Rory Carnegie.

Ms van der Gaag said: "Refugee Week is a celebration of the contribution that refugees have made to our society and this book reveals in detail just how major that contribution has been here in Oxford.

"These are people who have come here over the years with nothing, leaving homes and families behind, to build a new life. Today, they are artists, doctors, businesspeople, philosophers, journalists and economists. They show us what is possible and give us hope for the future."

Matt Holman, the new director of Asylum Welcome, said: "Refugee Week allows refugees to showcase their culture. It is an opportunity to show how they have enriched the culture of the town, city or country to which they have fled and are now integrated."

To coincide with the book launch, Asylum Welcome will hold a cultural event at Oxford Town Hall tonight at 7.30pm, with Senegalese music, readings by refugees and discussion. The event is free.

Refugee Resource is organising a creative evening on the theme 'Home' at the Asian Cultural Centre on Friday.

A collection of creative expressions of refugees, asylum seekers and those who work with them, there will be music, art, poetry and dance, from Afghanistan, Uganda, Eritrea, Britain and Canada.

Amanda Webb-Johnson, director of Refugee Resource, said: "The theme of Refugee Week this year is creating encounters between different communities and using creative ways to bring refugee experiences to wider audiences.

"This kind of event continues to be important in Oxfordshire to enable a more informed and accurate portrayal of the issues that refugees face in their country of exile, and the valuable, rich contributions they bring to our society."

Entry is free. For more details, call 01865 798280.

How the World Came to Oxford costs £9.95. To order a copy, call 0208 829 3000 or email orders@turnaround-uk.com