UK Poverty Post

Join Oxfam at Refugee Week!

Oxfam was founded to provide relief to refugees in Europe. Today we believe it’s vital to provide sanctuary to those in need, and we’re keen to highlight the positive impacts refugees make right here in Britain. Next week is Refugee Week: seven days of fun and insightful events to celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK and raise awareness of the issues they face. Please get involved!

There are hundreds of events up and down the country, from a poetry workshop at the V&A to football tournaments in Exeter, Bradford and Newport; from cakes and live music here in Oxford to an art exhibition in Wrexham; from a comedy night at the Tron Theatre to an online film festival at (or should that be @) the world wide web. Look up events in your local area, here.

You could even go one step further and hold your own event! How about cooking a dish from another country, or learning a few words in another language, or reading a book about exile. They’re all small, Simple Acts, which all add up to make a big change in the way refugees are perceived in the UK. This year we’re aiming for 20,000 simple acts, so start now and record your acts here! You can even upload a picture or a video to show us what you’ve done.

And for the film buffs, there’s the Online Film Festival, a selection of six award-winning films that document the journeys of hope made by people fleeing war and persecution and the difficulties they face rebuilding their lives far from home. The festival is being launched at the BFI in London this Thursday, and includes a panel discussion with film directors and Channel 4’s Samira Ahmed.

There’s also a celebration of exceptional journalism at the Refugee Week Scotland Media Awards in Glasgow. At Oxfam, we support fair reporting of asylum because negative media portrayal can reinforce myths and provide the stories and material to justify prejudices, which in turn can result in poor policy and exacerbate poverty by acting as a deterrent to refugees claiming the rights they do have.

To cap things off, there’ll be an Umbrella March through central London on World Refugee Day, Sunday, 20 June. Everyone who takes part will be given a huge white umbrella to carry, as a symbol of care and shelter, representing the UK’s proud tradition of offering safety to those in need of international protection. There’ll be similar parades taking place in eight other cities in Europe so we’ll be marching in solidarity with thousands of others across the continent. Come ready to show your support!