Latest News

Is there a City of Sanctuary near you?

Craig Barnett — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:52:33 +0100

There are now City of Sanctuary working groups in Sheffield, Leicester, Coventry, Norwich, London, Bristol, Nottingham, Swansea, Oxford and Bradford.

No Place for Children Petition

Craig Barnett — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:02:45 +0100

Philip Pullman, Monica Ali, Nick Hornby have joined the New Statesman's 'No Place for Children' campaign.

The campaign is calling for an end to the detention of 2,000 children a year in UK Immigration Removal Centres.

Children in detention centres do not have access to adequate healthcare and education, and they can be held for an unlimited period of time. The psychological and physical effects are often devastating.

There is an online petition here.

What is a Good Asylum system?

Craig Barnett — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:27:55 +0100

Leeds Asylum Seeker's Support Network are running a national workshop in Leeds on 18th October 2008, 10.00 - 5.00. This one-day workshop will explore the asylum system in the UK from political, practical and academic view-points to see how the existing UK system could become fair and just. See here for details.

Jonathan Darling will also be giving a presentation about the City of Sanctuary movement, based on his research for a Doctorate in postmodern Geography (might be a good idea to bring a dictionary...)

City of Sanctuary Launch in Bradford

Craig Barnett — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:46:52 +0100

On Wednesday 1st October Bradford's new City of Sanctuary group held its public launch.

There was food, entertainment from the Mussanzi family choir (left) and a powerful performance of excerpts from Ice and Fire Theatre Company's 'Asylum Dialogues'.

Coventry City of Sanctuary Launched

Craig Barnett — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 14:29:45 +0100

On 25th September at the Coventry 'Council House' (Town Hall) Coventry's own movement to become an official City of Sanctuary was launched by the Mayor Andy Matchet.

At a packed meeting (which someone described to me as the best attended they had ever been to in Coventry), participants were asked to share their ideason how to build support for people seeking sanctuary throughout the city, including schools, employers, and local media.

Refugee Action supports City of Sanctuary

Craig Barnett — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 10:53:22 +0100

National charity Refugee Action has just announced its support for the City of Sanctuary movement, offering to help develop local City of Sanctuary groups in all the areas where it works.

Refugee Action is the leading refugee agency in Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Leicester, Bristol, Plymouth and Portsmouth.

Open Democracy Podcast

Craig Barnett — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 18:34:27 +0100

The online politics magazine Open Democracy recorded interviews with City of Sanctuary supporters in Sheffield for Refugee Week. You can listen and download the podcast here.

Conference News

Craig Barnett — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:54:20 +0100

People representing groups from over 20 towns and cities, from Glasgow to Portsmouth, came to our first City of Sanctuary national conference on 4th June to share ideas about how to build their own local Cities (or Towns or Villages) of Sanctuary.

City of Sanctuary in London

Craig Barnett — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:50:20 +0100

City of Sanctuary in London has taken its first step, with an initial meeting in May and ambitious plans for the future as an ‘Olympic City of Sanctuary'.

Please do spread the word about City of Sanctuary London and get any friends and contacts who live and work in the capital to get in touch and get involved. Please contact us for their email address.

Open Democracy

Craig Barnett — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:47:32 +0100

Over the next fortnight the online magazine 'Open Democracy' is working with City of Sanctuary to produce a series of articles and podcasts on the experiences of people seeking sanctuary in the UK. You can read, listen, and participate in the discussion at opendemocracy.net.