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

What does ‘sanctuary’ mean to you? – and to those fleeing from violence or persecution? How can we work together to build sanctuary in Swansea? 

The ‘drop-in’ workshops on the day itself will involve small, mixed groups of local people, asylum seekers and refugees, who will be encouraged to draw or write their ideas onto paper or card, to be attached to the ‘sanctuary’. These workshops will be run by a local community artist with assistance from refugee facilitators.

‘Swansea City of Sanctuary’ – how to make a difference?

Sat 13 Jun, 2.00-3.30 – Dockside Meeting Room, National Waterfront Museum, Swansea

It will be exactly a year since the idea of making Swansea into a ‘City of Sanctuary’ was floated at a Workshop at Refugee Week 2008. Find out more about the idea and how it has spread, and share ideas on how you and your organization can help to make a difference.

Theatr Fforwm Cymru / Forum Theatre

Sat 13 June, 5.00-6.30 – Swansea Museum  Free

Presentation of a Forum Theatre piece on the experience of asylum seekers and refugees in Swansea, to be generated through workshops run by Fforwm Theatr Cymru throughout the previous week.

Asylum Dialogues

Sat 13 June, 6.30-8.00 – Swansea Museum  £6 (free for unwaged).

A production by iceandfire theatre company (Actors for Human Rights)

What happens when you meet someone who has fled their country to seek refuge in the UK? What happens when that person becomes your friend and needs your help? Drawn from real life conversations, Asylum Dialogues explores the everyday encounters between asylum seekers and British people, encouraging us to challenge our own preconceptions. Find out more at https://iceandfire.co.uk/