Latest news with #ScottishRefugeeCouncil
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
March through Glasgow city centre to mark World Refugee Day
There, a free family-friendly music carnival will take place with speeches from campaigners and music acts from bands and musical artists including former Scots Singer of the Year Iona Fyfe. The demonstration calls for an end to the scapegoating of refugees and migrants, safe routes for those seeking asylum, an end to the deportations the Labour government is ramping up and to lift the ban that prevents asylum seekers from working. Read More: Supporters include former First Minister Humza Yousaf, comedian Frankie Boyle, the STUC and various trades unions, the Scottish Refugee Council and other leading refugee rights organisations, Stand Up to Racism and Love Music Hate Racism. Mohammad Asif, Afghan Human Rights Foundation director, said: 'Refugees are the direct result of injustice and illegal wars and illegal invasions. We are the victims of profound injustices. We are mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, with the same hopes and ambitions. 'The far right are attempting to seize the 'grooming gangs' issue to stir up Islamophobia, racism and division and we need to come together to fight this cancer in our society.' Robina Qureshi, director of Positive Action in Housing, said: 'The Prime Ministers' recent anti-immigration rhetoric echoes the far right—blaming refugees and migrants for the consequences of political failure. 'Migrants are not the problem. They are our family members, our friends, neighbours, co-workers, carers, and part of the communities that keep this country going. 'This government could fix the housing crisis, fund public services, and support working people—but instead, it scapegoats the vulnerable and fans the flames of racism. We will stand united to resist this politics of fear and division.' Aamer Anwar, human rights lawyer, said: 'With the rise of the far-right and Reform in the UK, fascist ideas once relegated to the gutter are treated as mainstream ideas, feted by the media. "We have no alternative but to fight back, to counter every hate-filled racist lie and to defend our communities. We have won before and will do so again, but I feel the stakes have never been higher.'
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Thousands expected for march to support refugees in Glasgow
Thousands of people are expected to join the event through the city centre. It has been organised by the Stand up to Racism campaign and backed by organisations including Scottish Refugee Council, Positive Action on Housing and STUC. READ NEXT: Police complain Sheku Bayoh sign at Kelvingrove Museum is 'biased' A march will start at Barrowlands Park in the East End and follow Moir Street, London Road, Trongate, Glassford Street, Ingram Street, South Fredrick Street, George Square, St. Vincent Place, St. Vincent Street, Renfield Street, Union Street, Argyle Street, Queen Street, Ingram Street, Candleriggs and end at The Old Fruit Market. At the Old Fruitmarket, a rally will take place with speakers and music. Around 2000 people are anticipated to join the march to coincide with World Refugee Day. Refugee Festival Scotland urged people to take part and show solidarity with refuges in Glasgow and around the world. READ NEXT:ABC owners brand Mack rebuild a 'pastiche' as war of words deepens It said: 'Join us for a procession through Glasgow city centre in solidarity with people seeking safety, followed by a carnival hosted by Love Music Hate Racism in the Old Fruitmarket. 'Refugees are an integral part of our communities, workplaces and families. Join us to demand safe passage and support the 'Lift the Ban' campaign to grant asylum seekers the right to work.' The march and rally is the culmination of the Refugee Festival Scotland, taking place this month, which has seen music, culture, art, education and sporting events in Glasgow and across the country. Refugee Festival Scotland said: 'In these tough times, bringing people from different backgrounds together to build friendship, solidarity and a sense of shared community is more important than ever. 'By uniting against racist violence and calling out hostile UK government policies, we're showing that a better way is possible. 'Let's celebrate the music, dance, food, art, language and ideas that people bring with them when they settle in Scotland.'
Glasgow Times
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Poetry event celebrating diversity is set for Glasgow
The Building Solidarity & Kinship literary performance night will be held on Thursday, June 19, at Listen Gallery as part of Refugee Festival Scotland 2025. The event begins at 6.30pm. This event will feature a series of poetry readings and spoken word performances by various poets and spoken word artists. Read more: 'Incredible honour': Dementia care team win prestigious award Glasgow musician blends classical harp with 'disco-inspired strings' in new single Police race to residential area after man found dead Curated by the festival's programming fellow, creative writer, and researcher Esraa Husain, the event is set to provide a platform for underrepresented voices in Glasgow. Among the performers are multi-disciplinary artist Saoirse Amira Anis, Yemeni poet and filmmaker Sawsan Al Areeqe, Scottish-Palestinian writer Amira Al Shanti, Scottish-Pakistani artist Aqsa Arif, and Black Scottish comedian-poet Flora Weideger. They will be delving into themes of kinship, refuge, migration, and self-expression. Ms Husain said: "As a poet myself, I'm a big believer that art and poetry can create spaces where complicated feelings can be expressed and explored beyond simple language. "Poetry can be a tool for healing and a vehicle for solidarity." The event, a partnership with Listen Gallery and the Scottish BPOC Writers Network, will be documented by Somali-born and Glasgow-based creative Najma Abukar. Accessibility is a priority with free ticket options and wheelchair access. Attendees will also share in a community meal provided by Listen Gallery's team. As Refugee Festival Scotland celebrates 25 years, including the 40th anniversary of the Scottish Refugee Council, this event is just one of over 150 happening across Scotland, many of which are free to attend. Ms Husain urged people to "come with an open mind and join us for what will be a special evening of poetry and dialogue." The programme details are available at
Scotsman
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The Glasgow places with 'invisible associations' to refugees who have made Scotland home
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... They are ordinary places in the city of Glasgow, visited by thousands of people every day. But now, a Middle Eastern shop in Tradeston, a train ride to the city's Victoria Road and a cycle path in Glasgow Green are to feature in a new film focusing on the parts of the city which are important to a group of refugees. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Within the Fragments of Gurbet, which is to be shown at the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC)'s Refugee Festival Scotland next week, tells the stories of four immigrants to Glasgow - three of them refugees - and the places which matter to them. The film maps physical and emotional versions of Glasgow and explores how a place is shaped not just by its streets and shops, but by the feelings and invisible associations of its people. Fragments of Gurbet will premiere at Refugee Festival Scotland. | Refugee Festival Scotland Filmmaker Bircan Birol, who is half Turkish, half Kurdish, and has lived in Glasgow since 2019, was inspired to create the work after she visited a shop for the first time that sold authentic Turkish food. She said the shop made her experience what is known in Turkish as 'gurbet' – meaning a deep sense of longing, which is difficult to directly translate into English. 'That shop became special to me, like a marker of my version of the city,' said Ms Bircol. 'So the idea of mapping became a way to rethink the city, not just as a place we've arrived in, but as something we've shaped through our emotions, memories, connections and daily routines. What might seem ordinary to one person might hold deep significance for someone else. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Every corner of this city has a different story depending on who's standing there. If we look at Glasgow through that lens, maybe we can better understand how migrants like me carve out small pockets of comfort, moments that feel like home in a place that's still unfamiliar.' Bircan Birol is the filmmaker behind the project, | Refugee Festival Scotland Also sharing a version of the city they now call home was refugee Siraj Balubaid, who was born in Yemen, grew up in Saudi Arabia and does award-winning charity work with Bikes for Refugees Scotland. Other experiences are relayed by Fatou Cham Gitteh, from Gambia – a founding trustee of Ubuntu Women's Shelter who started her university education in Glasgow at the age of 62 - and Shakya Sereinghe, from Sri Lanka, who was a member of southside immigrant support charity Milk. Ms Bircol said: 'One of the main reasons I started making films was because I rarely saw people like me represented in mainstream media and films, so my immigrant experience has shaped both the stories I tell, and how I choose to tell them. 'Living between languages and cultures has made me more aware of what it means to not quite fit in. I try to explore this through film, to sit with big questions, understand them a bit more, or simply feel less alone in them.'
The National
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Glasgow exhibition showcases untold asylum seekers stories
Curated by Refugee Festival Scotland ambassador Sadia Sikandar, Unwritten Milestones: The Silent Talent Trapped in Limbo, will showcase seven black and white portraits each depicting an untold story of both struggle and resilience. The exhibition takes place in Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art from June 13 – 15 and will feature Sadia herself as she reflects on her own six-year experience in the asylum system. 'I endured inhumane conditions and trauma during those years. It felt like sacrificing my self-respect and honour,' she explained. READ MORE: BBC issues statement after staff 'held at gunpoint and strip searched ' by IDF Sikandar added: 'My aim with this exhibition is to reflect the individual journeys of asylum seekers and the profound impact of the UK asylum backlog on people's mental health, really capturing the reality of those navigating a system that often leaves them in limbo.' Despite being an award-winning teacher and international artist, Sikandar could not work while awaiting the resolution of her asylum case. Instead, she has devoted herself to volunteering in the arts sector, in universities, and even advocating for asylum seekers' rights at the UK Parliament. Unwritten Milestones aims to expose the continued hardships faced by asylum seekers and reflects on the missed opportunities and unfulfilled dreams of those trapped in the system while also offering them a platform to share their stories. Sadia (below) collaborated with organisations such as Scottish Refugee Council and Together Reaching Higher to find participants whose stories would be featured, witn each of the seven portraits telling a personal story. (Image: Sadia Sikandar) 'Photography and storytelling allow the community to open up in a unique and artistic way,' Sadia said. 'I hope it encourages the audience to think about how they can care for and welcome those who have been ignored. 'While others celebrate milestones, many asylum seekers cannot achieve their goals due to the limitations placed on them so it's also important for me to share my voice to raise awareness: every asylum seeker should have the right to work.' Sadia added that she hopes the exhibition serves not only as a call to action for policy reform but also as a bridge for understanding. She said by facilitating connections among participants and offering them emotional support, she is creating a sense of community and empowerment. 'Many people involved in the project feel seen and heard for the first time,' Sadia said. 'This project gives them confidence, makes them feel less alone, and helps them find new connections.' (Image: Sadia Sikandar) Refugee Festival Scotland is celebrating its 25th year of promoting and commemorating art, culture and community. The festival also marks the 40th anniversary of the Scottish Refugee Council, a national charity which supports thousands of men, women and children every year as they rebuild their lives in Scotland. Sadia is one of six Refugee Festival Scotland ambassadors, a group of spokespeople for the Festival, who share their experience to help build understanding about what it means to be a refugee in Scotland. She is also shortlisted in the Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards 2025. The exhibition is a milestone in itself for Sadia and the participants – one unwritten, until now. It is one of more than 150 events taking place across Scotland, most of which are free to attend, and involving artists and performers from more than 30 countries. Unwritten Milestones: The Silent Talent Trapped in Limbo will also be available to view at Refuweegee on Saturday 21 June in collaboration with Refuweegee, The Voice Network and Scottish Intercultural Association.
