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Bradford Refugee Week

Event published by Refugee

Date Event date: June 20, 2011 10:00

Tagged as: culture migration social_struggles

Bradford - various locations - 20th - 26th June 2011

Places: bradford

Refugees-thumb

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What is Refugee Week?

Refugee Week is a UK-wide programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK, and encourages a better understanding between communities. Refugee Week 2011 takes place from 20 – 26 June 2011.

Every year during Refugee Week hundreds of events are organised across the UK. In 2010, there were over 550 small and large events, ranging from big music festivals and art exhibitions to political debates, film screenings, conferences, school activities, sports and community events etc

2011 Theme

This year is the 60′th anniversary of the refugee convention, and we’ll be focusing on the theme of 60 years of Contribution for Refugee Week 2011.

This year’s refugee week celebrations in Bradford just like any other cities are packed with eye opening facts about refugees. An able and fantastic team started meeting since July, 2010 to plan for this year’s refugee week celebrations which include organisations such as City of Sanctuary, BEACON, STAR, BIASAN, British Red Cross, Bradford Action for Refugees, Horton Housing, Sharing Voices, NRC, Raising the Roofs, Solamatik, Bradford Refugee Forum (which chairs this year’s Refugee Week), West Yorkshire Police, Education (Bradford), etc.

There is so much misinformation circulating about refugees and asylum seekers in the media that it is sometimes hard to work out what is reality and what is myth. This year’s program is packed with information from personal testimonies that can help you to figure out the facts from the fibs.

All you need is to mark the following dates and times and simply show up. All the events are absolutely free to everyone.

This year’s celebrations fall on 20th to 26th June, 2011. During this week, Bradford will hold the following events:

  • The celebrations will begin with the refugees joining the Bradford community at the 2011 Mela which will be held on 12th June, where different performances will be held, such as Music Dance, Drumming, etc from members of the local refugees and asylum seekers communities
  • The BEACON Walk for Justice on Wednesday, 22 June. This walk is aimed at drawing attention to asylum seekers having to walk from Bradford to Leeds to register.  The walk will start at 10am from Centenary Square, Bradford to Waterside House , Leeds.  Approx. 10 miles. Many walkers will be sponsored.
  • The Finale Celebration which will be on 24th June at Urban Gardens starting from 12noon to 2pm. People will enjoy food made by different countries in the world plus music and dance from different countries, cultures and religion.
  • Football Tournament on 25th June, 2011 where both men and women’s teams are going to participate and there will also be a variety of games at Goals Sports Academy (Junior teams) and Manningham Sports Stadium (adults teams) from 10am to 4pm. Trophy’s and prizes are already packed for the winning teams.
  • On the same day, 25th June, 2011, a BIASAN Gig has been organised at Manningham Mills Community Centre starting from 07.30pm till 11pm. Fantastic live bands and many more entertaining activities have been planned. Affordable entrance tickets to the event will soon be on sale, stay alert for our past event attracted a lot of people. So don’t miss your chance this time.
  • On the final day, 26th June, 2011, Solamatik, HEM & Congo Awareness Group (CRC & Bradford Rape Crisis) has organised a refugee week support event which has been titled “Sanctuary Sunday”.  This event is marking the end of 2011 Refugee Week Celebrations where everyone in Bradford is invited to come and learn about their real stories as well as celebrate the contributions of refugees in Bradford over the years.

The event is blessed with the presence of the Lord Mayor who will speak to the celebrating crowd.  There will be performers, stories, exhibition, drama & of course refreshments.

Families & children welcome. The event will be held from 3pm to 6pm upstairs at Lloyds Bar just across the Centenary Square.

Recap 2011

Under the chairmanship of Will Sutcliffe, Bradford Refugee Week for 2010 was held from 16th to 22nd June.  The celebrations registered a number of successful and memorable achievements.  Many Asylum Seekers and refugees were represented including national and Bradford based organisations, on the theme: “different pasts shared future.”

 

Links:

Link_go Bradford Refugee Forum

Working together for refugees

Link_go Refugee Week Bradford

Refugee Week website

Additions

Change Of Venue

Comment Published: June 19, 2011 00:55 by Update

I have been told by the organisers that the Sanctuary Sunday event on the 26th of June 2011 will now happening not at Chino Thai, but next door, upstairs in Lloyds Bar, from 3 to 7pm, with the main focus on the Congo situation, issues few people, even Indymedia readers are fully aware of.

See the Bradford Refugee Week website for further details.

Sanctuary Sunday highlights how minerals used in mobile phone manufacture have resulted in murder, rape and oppression, and is a must-see event for anybody who has a mobile phone, and yet refuses to eat Nestlé chocolate.