Islington plans digital celebrations for Refugee Week 2020

Refugee Week runs from today, 15 June, to 21 June. It is a nationwide programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK, and encourages a better understanding between communities. This year’s theme is ‘Imagine’.

Islington Museum and Cally Clock Tower, in conjunction with Islington Guided Walks, had planned to hold a guided walk around the borough to sites that tell diverse stories from migrant history. Instead, because of the current pandemic, they are doing it all online on islingtonlife.london/place-of-refuge

Called Islington as a Place of Refuge, viewers are invited to step back in time to imagine the various situations faced by refugees and economic migrants that came to Islington. Whether it was to escape war, persecution or economic hardships, many refugee communities came to Islington to start new lives, grow their livelihoods and fight injustice.

In addition, Islington Refugee Forum is inviting people to take part in its online activities by doing one of eight ‘Simple Acts’ also inspired by the theme ‘Imagine’. These are everyday actions that can be done at home to stand alongside refugees, including sharing a song, reading a book or posting your support on social media.

Cllr Una O’Halloran, Executive Member for Community Development, said: “We are proud to be a welcoming and diverse community here in Islington. Refugee Week is a great time to share a thought and reflect on our shared world. This year, our celebrations are a bit different because we are unable to come together physically, but that doesn’t mean we can’t connect digitally. By taking part during the week itself, you’ll be joining a big, creative, collective movement to imagine a better world.”

Cllr Sue Lukes, Islington Migrants Champion, said: “I join my fellow councillors and council staff in celebrating the refugees and migrants in our community, who make our borough the diverse, welcoming place it is. Refugee Week 2020 is an opportunity to thank all the amazing refugee organisations that support refugees in Islington.

“The last week has reminded us of the British record of racism and colonialism and its legacy of inequality and oppression. So, when we share these other stories, of new arrivals made welcome and becoming part of our borough’s history, we do not forget this.

“This online tour is a great and inspiring way to find out more. We can all look at how so many of our families, friends and neighbours have shaped Islington lives.  Each day we can discover their human stories and why and how they settled here. Hungarian and South African political refugees, German Jewish refugees, West Indian, Italian and Irish economic migration, and Somali war refugees – they inspire us all. I encourage everyone to take a look and learn more about us and this borough, our shared home.”

Islington as a Place of Refuge
15-21 June 2020
Available at https://islingtonlife.london/place-of-refuge/
or follow on Twitter @IslingtonMuseum @CallyClockTower @IslingtonWalks

Find out more about Islington Refugee Forum at islingtonrefugeeforum.org/ or follow on Twitter @irforum