International Newcastle joined a large crowd at the Newcastle Sanctuary Forum today to celebrate Refugee Week and hear about the City Council’s recently published strategy for sanctuary in the city. We learned about the changing policy context for Refugees and Asylum Seekers nationally, as well as the challenges and solutions of supporting displaced people in the city and learn about progress on Newcastle Schools of Sanctuary. At the end of the session, Antonio Sangunjo, UK City of Sanctuary Ambassador, presented Cllr Paula Maines with the Council of Sanctuary Award.
The Forum is a network of groups and organisations supporting refugees and asylum seekers in the city and those with lived experience of forced migration, working together to share learning and join up support and services. Members of the Forum also receive regular updates on services, support, opportunities, events and activities relating to sanctuary in the city.
Refugee Week in Newcastle
Refugee Week is an annual festival that celebrates the contributions, creativity and resilience of people seeking sanctuary. It has been running in the UK since 1998 and is always held around World Refugee Day (20 June).
In the city, local organisations have worked together to develop a programme of free activities for families, displaced persons and migrants, with highlights including circus, theatre, art and creative writing workshops. A programme leaflet has been distributed directly to refugees and asylum seekers in Newcastle and Gateshead.
This year’s festival theme is ‘Compassion’ and the activities in Newcastle and Gateshead aim to show how arts and culture can help to foster compassion for all people. Click here to find out what’s on and get involved.
Our role in supporting Sanctuary
International Newcastle supports sanctuary in the city by sharing information and opportunities, as part of our Internationalism in the City workstrand. Through this work, we link to, profile and publicise initiatives which celebrate these, promote inclusion and tolerance and improve intercultural awareness.
We regularly share information about any activities which provide opportunities for our disadvantaged or underrepresented groups and communities in the city. This might include training and employment opportunities, capacity building for organisations, opportunities for personal development, awareness raising initiatives, or research into issues relating to underrepresented groups. We also provide a directory of organisations and community groups in the city.
Follow us online to find out the latest activities for celebrating diversity and raising awareness: twitter, facebook, linked in or check our news page
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