LGBT+ refugee campaigner and safe routes young leader honoured with Lord Dubs awards

Accepting her award, Apata said: “Standing here tonight as the winner of the prestigious 2026 Dubs Award for Outstanding Commitment, my heart is incredibly full – but it is also heavy with the memories of the journey that brought me to this room.

“To our extraordinary hosts and organisers, HIAS+JCORE, thank you for this profound honour, and thank you for your vision of being a fearless, guiding light for social justice, proving that welcoming the stranger is an absolute human imperative.”

Noting the the privilege of being recognised by Lord Dubs, she said: “Standing here as a fellow refugee who found their own path to freedom, I am reminded of the beautiful Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam – our shared responsibility to heal a broken world.

“To look out ...tonight and see that same spirit alive, I can only say: Baruch Hashem – thank God for this moment.”

Apata, who is the fourth recipient of the Outstanding Commitment award, went on to qualify as a barrister and was called to the Bar in 2022.

Lord Alfred Dubs awarded leaders who have done outstanding work for refugees and asylum seekers at the 2026 Lord Dubs Awards (Photo: Getty Images)Getty Images for BFI

HIAS+JCORE also recognised safe routes and refugee rights campaigner Abdulrahman Bidwi, who received the Dubs Legacy Award for Emerging Leaders.

Bidwi is a graduate of refugee charity Safe Passage’s Young Leader Programme, where he now works and where he has helped increase the number of staff within the organisation with lived experience by over 20 per cent.

He said: “I am deeply honoured to receive the Dubs Award for Emerging Leaders. As someone who came to the UK seeking safety, I know first-hand how life-changing it can be when people are met with compassion, opportunity and belief rather than barriers and doubt.

“Lord Alf Dubs' story reminds us that behind every refugee label is a person with potential, aspirations and something valuable to contribute. This award reflects not only my own journey, but the journeys of many refugees who, when given the chance, go on to lead, advocate and create positive change in their communities.”

Bidwi is the second recipient of the Young Leaders’ Award.

A member of the House of Lords, Labour politician and campaigner, Lord Dubs has long advocated for more to be done to help refugees.

He came to the UK on in 1939 from Prague, aged six, on Kinderstransport organised by the late Sir Nicholas Winton.

In an opening keynote, Lord Dubs praised the  2026 winners and the work of faith leaders and communities across the country.

He urged politicians to consider the language they use, saying it had “an influence on how we perceive our fellow human beings”. 

Adding that the use of words like "invaders” “imply hostility to people who have come here for safety”, Lord Dubs said: “There are few things more important in life than giving safety to our fellow human beings who are the victims of war, persecution, and oppression.”

Guardian journalist Aamna Mohdin (second from left) chairs panellists (left to right) Imam Monawar Hussain, Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Bishop Rob Wickham (Photo: HIAS+JCORE)[Missing Credit]

Rabbi David Mason, executive director of HIAS+JCORE, said: “Celebrating such incredible refugee leaders is a real honour and privilege. I’m proud that HIAS+JCORE’s Lord Dubs Awards ensure that such outstanding leadership and work receives the recognition it deserves.

“Our 2026 winners personify why that’s so important and demonstrate what people with lived experience can achieve when given a fair chance. I can’t wait to see what they go on to accomplish next.”

The ceremony followed a panel of senior faith leaders, discussing the role that faith leaders can play in forging a more welcoming society.

Chaired by Guardian journalist Aamna Mohdin, panellists Rabbi Charley Baginsky, Imam Monawar Hussain, and Bishop Rob Wickham called for a united approach to tackle prejudice and to create a nation where refugees and asylum seekers felt a sense of belonging.