Keele Refugee Week June 8-14
‘Refugee Week is a UK-wide programme of arts, cultural and education events and activities that celebrates the contribution of refugees to the UK and promotes better understanding of why people seek sanctuary’ (refugeeweek.org.uk). It involves thousands of people, institutions, organizations, and individuals throughout the country; last year Keele joined Refugee Week for the first time by hosting a weeklong photographic exhibition, an opening event with a musical performance and a poetry open mic night. Placing our university on the map alongside numerous institutions and cultural hubs across the country and building on previous success, this year Keele Refugee Week will be hosting an even richer programme of events.
A wide range of arts and cultural initiatives, talks and workshops – organized across all faculties – will be taking place throughout the week. Keele Refugee Week 2015 kicks off with a launch reception opened by Professor Nick Foskett, Keele University Vice Chancellor, and an exhibition entitled “Knitted Narratives” produced by refugee and migrant women who attend a local NGO (ASHA, Hanley). Other events held during the week include film screenings; a photo exhibition; a fundraising event; an information session about access to higher education for asylum seekers, and other awareness raising activities; a pub quiz. Also, guest speakers as well as Keele-based ones will engage the audiences in numerous workshops on social networks and belonging, refugee law, refugee health professionals working in the UK, refugee experiences in camps in Jordan and Lebanon.
There is plenty to choose from! All events are free and open to everyone; this is a great opportunity to bring together Keele staff, students and civic society to celebrate – through the arts, sciences and humanities – the contribution of refugees to the UK and raise awareness about seeking sanctuary and safety. There will also be several volunteering opportunities for Keele students to get more actively involved with Refugee Week.
A full timetable of the week’s events and updates are available at http://www.keele.ac.uk/refugeeweek/
Keele Refugee Week 2015 is supported by the “Keele Key Fund”.
CONTACTS
For further information about Keele Refugee Week please contact: Dr Mariangela Palladino (English) at m.palladino@keele.ac.uk, Dr Ala Sirriyeh (Sociology) at a.sirriyeh@keele.ac.uk or Jon Granger (KPA President) at kpa.chair@keele.ac.uk.
Twitter: @Keeleuniversity #Refugeeweek
Facebook: Keele University
Also, check out also Refugee Week UK @ http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk/