City of Sanctuary is a movement to build a culture of hospitality for refugees and asylum-seekers. In 2007, with the support of Sheffield City Council, Sheffield has become the UK’s first ‘City of Sanctuary’ for asylum-seekers and refugees - a city that takes pride in the welcome it offers to people in need of safety.
Many people are now familiar with the idea of a 'Fairtrade City', in which a wide range of community groups and organisations make a commitment to using and selling fairtrade goods. In a similar way a 'City of Sanctuary' is a place where a broad range of local organisations, community groups and faith communities, as well as local government, are publicly committed to welcoming and including asylum-seekers in their activities.
We recognise that asylum policy and decision-making must be decided at a national level, and that the power of local communities to defend individuals will often be limited. But within this legal framework there is the opportunity for local communities both to make the existing asylum system more humane for the asylum-seekers who live amongst us, and to counter some of the hostile public attitudes that drive government policy.
City of Sanctuary is supported by over 70 local organisations, including Community Forums, student groups, charities and all of Sheffield’s major faiths. Together we are working to bring together asylum-seekers and local people and to celebrate the contribution of asylum-seekers and refugees to the life of our city.
We want to encourage more local organisations to make a public commitment to welcoming and including asylum-seekers and refugees in their activities. Please contact us if you would like to get involved.
http://www.cityofsanctuary.com/
We are continuing to run drop-in workshops on Web-publishing, blogging,
and Internet skills, at Access Space, 1 Sidney Street, Sheffield S1
(Tel: 0114 249 5522)
The drop-in now takes place on Tuesdays from 11am to 1pm. Sessions are
free and open to all. Please advertise to any refugees or asylum-seekers
who may be interested.
6th November from 9.30am – 4pm at Voluntary Action Sheffield This training course for organisations wanting to broaden their volunteer recruitment will help you to:
• Understand myths and facts about refugees and asylum seekers
• Know the legal issues around refugees and asylum seekers
volunteering e.g. CRB checks, expenses, benefits etc
• Ensure that your recruitment, induction and support procedures
are welcoming and inclusive
• Develop and action plan for your organisation.
£25 for VAS members, £30 for non member voluntary and community groups
and £50 for all others. To book places and for further information,
please contact training@vas.org.uk or on 0114 2536623
The theme of this year’s Islam Awareness Week is ‘One World: Our Children, Our Future’. Events include exhibitions, inter-communal dialogue and an open day at the new ‘Al Madina’ mosque. For further information contact: enquiries@isb-sheff.org.uk
Building Communities: Equality and diversity in action
7th November, 9.45am – 4.15pm at the Met Hotel, Leeds LS1 2HQ As part of this day conference on refugee integration and community cohesion, Inderjit Bhogal will be speaking about City of Sanctuary’s work to build a culture of hospitality. Cost £339/£130. Contact the Refugee Council to book a place on 020 7346 6737