Simple Acts of kindness mark Refugee Week in Notts
COOKING a dish from another country, reading a book about exile, or finding out five facts about refugees are all ways that you can get involved in Refugee Week.
Organisers are hoping the city-wide event will nudge people to extend a simple act of kindness and help change perceptions about those who have fled persecution to build new lives here.
"Nottingham is home to a vibrant and diverse population that includes 65 refugee nationalities that have fled oppressive regimes," said Keith Grayson, manager of the charity Refugee Action in Nottingham.
"We should recognise that each successive wave of refugees and migrants – from Ireland throughout the last century, and South Asia and the Caribbean since the '50s – have touched us all and enriched the whole of society."
People across the county are invited to perform one of a number of 'Simple Acts' in order to learn more about the refugees and asylum seekers in Notts and interact with them. Learning a few things to say in a new language or making a pro-refugee poster are just some of the simple acts outlined at www.simpleacts.org.uk.
Comedian Mark Thomas chose to make a poster when he performed in Nottingham in May and met Zimbabwean refugee Tendai, who lives in Lenton.
Tendai – who can't be identified further for fear of repercussions should he ever return to his homeland – said: "If I had to suggest ideas about ways people could make refugees welcome I would say that the key lies in simple acts – just talking to them.
"If you know some asylum seekers and refugees in your community, welcome them by talking to them and being friendly with them, instead of being angry or showing frustration against their presence, because refugees as people have already gone through a lot."
Refugee Week co-ordinator Almir Koldzic said: "It doesn't take much to change people's understanding of who refugees are. Britain has a proud tradition of sheltering people who are fleeing persecution and war, and these simple acts are testament to this."
There are about 1,055 supported asylum seekers living in Notts, a term which defines those who have fled their homeland, made themselves known to the authorities here and exercised their legal right to apply for asylum.
There are many more refugees in Notts, a term that refers to people who have proven that they would face persecution at home and been granted permission to stay here by the authorities.
Almir added: "Just by doing one of these simple acts, like sharing a book or song, meeting a refugee over a cup of tea or even just thinking about what it means to offer refuge to people, we can all get closer to realising that offering sanctuary to people in need is a wonderful thing that should be protected and celebrated."
Read Tendai's moving story in Monday's Evening Post, the first in a series of features to mark Refugee Week.
Comment on this story