Swansea

Swansea News

Building Sanctuary in Swansea

Submitted by ClareP on Fri, 26/06/2009 - 13:41

THANK YOU to all the City of Sanctuary supporters who helped make the Refugee Week Launch event a success and everyone who visited the marquee.

We had stalls from The African Community Centre, ALAS, Amnesty International, British Red Cross, City of Sanctuary, DACE, DPIA, Environment Centre, Info-Nation, MEWN, More Green Project, OnePeople, Oxfam shop, SBASSG , Sustainable Swansea , Swansea Environment Forum , Swansea Police (Hate Crime), Tandance, Undercurrents/Action for Palestine, Wales Strategic Migration Partnership, The Women's centre, WRC.

In case you missed the event we have created an online version of our exhibition http://sites.google.com/site/swanseacityofsanctuary

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Refugee Week Wales 2009

Submitted by ClareP on Mon, 01/06/2009 - 16:40

Swansea City of Sanctuary Events

‘Swansea City of Sanctuary’ Marquee

Sat 13 Jun 2009, 11.00-4.30 - National Waterfront Museum, Swansea

The marquee will be part of the launch of Refugee Week Wales. It will have a display explaining ‘City of Sanctuary’, with volunteers available all day to talk to visitors about it and how they can help, as well as independent stands, displays and mini-activities by supporting groups and organizations - and the Exhibition and the ‘Building a Sanctuary’ drop-in workshop (see below).

‘Building Sanctuary in Swansea’ photographic and short story exhibition.

Sat 13 Jun – Fri 26 Jun 2009 – National Waterfront Museum, Swansea

These photographs and stories will focus on asylum seekers and refugees and their links to local organizations, including community groups, schools, faith groups, etc. They will be portrayed volunteering in a range of ways or simply taking part in these organizations’ activities. At the same time the exhibition will illustrate and celebrate the variety of groups and organizations which welcome asylum seekers and refugees and present information on ways in which organizations which support ‘City of Sanctuary’ can translate that support into making a real difference.

The exhibition will include winning entries from an open competition as well as photographic and design work by members of a Swansea City of Sanctuary Working Group.

The ‘Building Sanctuary in Swansea’ exhibition will be in the marquee for its opening day and subsequently in one of the museum galleries for the following fortnight.

‘Building a Sanctuary’ drop-in workshops

Sat 13 Jun, 12.00-4.00 – National Waterfront Museum, Swansea

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Photography and Short-story Competition

Submitted by ClareP on Sat, 25/04/2009 - 14:28

For Public Exhibition in Refugee week

Theme: Building Sanctuary in Swansea

Does your local group welcome people seeking sanctuary? or

Are you an asylum seeker or refugee who is involved with a local organisation?

Please send us your photos and/or tell us your stories.

We want photos and stories which focus on asylum seekers and refugees
and their links to local organisations, including community groups,
schools, faith groups, etc.

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Swansea City of Sanctuary Launch 4th February 2009

Submitted by ClareP on Sat, 07/02/2009 - 12:32

More than 120 people from over 20 countries on 4 continents gathered at St Helen's Primary School in Swansea to officially launch ‘Swansea City of Sanctuary’.

The group consisted of refugees, asylum seekers and representatives of local businesses, organisations and groups.

The event was opened by the Lord Mayor of Swansea, Councillor Gareth Sullivan.

Audience listening to the opening speeches

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Thursday 4th December 2008 - Swansea City Council pledges support

Submitted by ClareP on Sat, 07/02/2009 - 12:10

Council pledges support for City of Sanctuary

At its meeting on Thursday 4th December Swansea City Council voted unanimously to pass a motion pledging support for plans to make Swansea a ‘City of Sanctuary’.

Earlier this year local people decided to set up a City of Sanctuary group in Swansea and asked the City Council to sign-up to a “model resolution” to start the process of getting recognition for Swansea.

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Swansea City of Sanctuary Launch

Submitted by ClareP on Thu, 29/01/2009 - 17:40

4th February 2008, 4:00 – 6:30 P.M.

St. Helens Primary School

Vincent Street, Swansea, SA1 3TY

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First workshop - Saturday 21 June 2008

Submitted by Sadhbh on Thu, 14/08/2008 - 17:21

An extremely successful workshop was held on Saturday 21 June as part of the Refugee Week events at the National Waterfront Museum, to launch the idea of Swansea becoming a 'City of Sanctuary'. 20 people attended and we had apologies and/or messages of support from a similar number. We had good press coverage:1 a column in the local South Wales Evening Post (which also covered Refugee Week well).

We got a write-up on the BBC website including a good interview with one of our refugee members.

Those present agreed to set up a Working Group to work towards meeting the criteria and becoming an official City of Sanctuary within one year (timetable to be confirmed). The first meeting was set for Tuesday 15 July between 5.30 and 7.30 p.m. (venue to be confirmed).

12 people volunteered to be on the Working Group, plus 4 of those who had given apologies. We also decided that at least the first Working Group meeting should be open to all who either attended the workshop or had responded to the circulated invitations - but it would not be an open public meeting. We noted that many of the suggested activities for a City of Sanctuary already take place in Swansea. However, the criteria are to some extent self-imposed. It will be up to our Working Group to set our own target for obtaining resolutions of support from a 'significant and representative proportion of local groups and organizations' and our own specific goals to be met which would add significantly to what is already happening in Swansea.

Most of the workshop was taken up in two subgroups brainstorming ideas for how 'City of Sanctuary' could make a difference in Swansea. Notes from these two groups will be posted separately.

We are off to a great start.

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Ideas from 21 June Workshop

Submitted by AlanTSwansea on Thu, 14/08/2008 - 12:14

These are the notes from the two subgroups at the 21 June Workshop on the four Questions posed for discussion.

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Saturday 21 June Workshop

Submitted by AlanTSwansea on Thu, 14/08/2008 - 12:04

An extremely successful workshop was held on Saturday 21 June as part of the Refugee Week events at the National Waterfront Museum, to launch the idea of Swansea becoming a 'City of Sanctuary'.