Tuesday 4th March 2008, from 9.30am - 1pm
including lunch and time to chat
at Active Community Centre, 9 Newarke Street, Leicester LE1 5SN

Leicester, City of Sanctuary is working to build on Leicester's proud tradition of welcoming new communities from around the world, by reaching out to those who have had to leave behind their families, homes, jobs and everything that was familiar because of:
persecution, brutality, discrimination, abuse, armed conflict, exploitation, intimidation, torture ..., and who bring with them valuable experience, strengths, talents and skills which can benefit us all.

But what do they find when they get here?:
hostility, suspicion, mistrust, resentment, prejudice, and more abuse and exploitation.

We want to encourage and enable people to work together to find new ways to actively welcome those seeking asylum and those given refugee status, and for Leicester to become known as a city of sanctuary.

We think the current asylum system is unfair is needs changing ...
... but perhaps you don't agree?

Citizens Speak is your opportunity to feed into a review of the asylum system being carried out by the Independent Asylum Commission, who later this year will be producing a report and making recommendations to the Government for reforms to the current system
www.independentasylumcommission.org.uk

We would like to invite you to attend this event whatever your views, to meet some of the organisations working with asylum seekers in Leicester, to hear about the current situation facing those fleeing their home countries and seeking asylum in the UK, and to join in the discussions and have your say about how things should change.

To reserve your place, or to be added to our circulation list for notification about future developments at Leicester, City of Sanctuary, contact Gill on: gill.buttery@mht.co.uk / 0116 2574021 / 07764 710497