Refugee Week in Newcastle
June 15th to 21st is Refugee Week, a week-long event whose purpose is to celebrate the contribution of refugees to the United Kingdom and to raise awareness of the reasons people seek sanctuary, and the ensuing struggles they face. In honour of this campaign, Newcastle City of Sanctuary will be involved in related events. All are welcome and encouraged to join in the Refugee Week events listed below.
Sunday, 14th June 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM at Live Theatre, Broad Chare, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Stella Chiwese and the Crossings Band
Crossings Band is a collective devoted to providing a space for asylum seekers and refugees to come together with local and international musicians to collaborate and grow musically. The aim of the group is to use music to bridge cultural and racial differences. Stella Chiwese is an internationally renowned singer and musician, playing the mbira dzavadzimu or ‘thumb piano’ from Zimbabwe. Together she and Crossings Band will take the stage to kick of Refugee Week in Newcastle.
For more details and to purchase tickets, please visit the Live Theater website: https://www.live.org.uk/whats-on-book/stella-chiweshe .
Stella Chiwese and the Crossings Band will also be at the Quayside Market on Sunday, June 14th during the day. Details will be updated here as they become available.
Monday, 15th June 5:30 PM – 6:15 PM at Newcastle Central Library (Bewick Room)
Newcastle City of Sanctuary presents a special Refugee Week Talk: Professor Chris Mullard CBE “Celebrating Diversity, Contesting Injustice: Reflections on multiculturalism and migration”
Professor Chris Mullard CBE, one of the UK’s leading authorities on race relations and chairman of Focus Consultancy, a multiracial agency, specialising in the provision of research, development, social marketing, training and other key consultancy services in the field of the social management of change within global and multicultural contexts. He is the author of ‘Black Britain’ and ‘Race, Power and Resistance’, was Secretary-General of the Campaign Against Racial Discrimination in the 1960s, and returns to Newcastle where he was the first director of the Community Relations Council.
If you would like to attend please register via: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebrating-diversity-contesting-injustice-reflections-on-multiculturalism-and-migration-tickets-16916413448
In June 2013, Council passed a motion of support that showed their commitment to Newcastle being a City of Sanctuary and one year later National City of sanctuary gave our group official recognition as a City of Sanctuary
Prior to the talk, Counsellor Joyce McCarty (Deputy Leader of Newcastle City Council) will conduct the official unveiling of Newcastle upon Tyne’s certificate as a City of Sanctuary to celebrate our commitment to welcoming and including those seeking sanctuary in our city.
Monday, 15th May 8:35 PM at the Tyneside Cinema
Screening of Aki Kaurismäki’s film “Le Havre”
Following Professor Mullard’s talk, there will be a screening of the film “Le Havre” at the Tyneside CInema. On show will be “Aki Kaurismäki’s (Leningrad Cowboys Go America) warmhearted, political fairytale set in the French harbor city that gives the film its name.The film follows Marcel Marx a well-spoken bohemian shoe shiner who discovers a young African refugee, Idrissa, hiding from the authorities, he takes pity on him and decides to try and help him. But with officials doggedly pursuing the boy for deportation, Marcel must rally his friends and neighbours in order to save Idrissa and send him on his way to his relatives in London. Existing somewhere between reality and fantasy, Kaurismäki’s film is a charming, deadpan delight that will have you crying with joy.”
For more details, please visit https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk/whats-on/films/view/le-havre .
Wednesday, 17th June, all day at the Grainger Market
Members from the Newcastle Citywide Asylum Seeker and Refugee Support Group will be at the Grainger market all day celebrating Refugee Week. Please feel free to stop by, say hi, and learn more about refugees in Newcastle
Thursday, 18th June 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM at Newcastle Central Library (Bewick Room)
People Like Us: Exhibition in words and photographs for Refugee Week
Refugees and people seeking asylum have been the object of much press attention. In this exhibition, they speak for themselves.
Creative writer, David Stephenson and photographer, Aleksandra Dogramadzi are collaborating with 17 people, resulting in 16 panels, displaying their words and chosen images.
On Thursday 18th June from 5.30 p.m. to 7 p.m. there will be an open discussion in the Bewick Room (next to the exhibition – with tea and coffee provided). Participants in the exhibition will lead the discussion and anyone interested in raising awareness about the lives of people seeking asylum is invited to attend.
This exhibition is supported by Your Homes Newcastle, with assistance from the City Library.
It is organised by Crossings (www.crossings.org.uk). For more information or tickets, please visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/people-like-us-tickets-17149647056 .
Thursday, 18th June 10:00 AM-12:00 PM at Broadacre House
Volunteer Drop-In Session
Are you an Asylum Seeker or Refugee? Are you interested in volunteering in Newcastle? Come along to our drop-in to find out more.
For directions to Broadacre House, please visit https://www.volunteercentrenewcastle.org.uk/volunteer/findus.php
This list will be updated as new events are announced.