Latest news with #ScottishRefugeeCouncil
Scotsman
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The Glasgow places with 'invisible associations' to refugees who have made Scotland home
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... They are ordinary places in the city of Glasgow, visited by thousands of people every day. But now, a Middle Eastern shop in Tradeston, a train ride to the city's Victoria Road and a cycle path in Glasgow Green are to feature in a new film focusing on the parts of the city which are important to a group of refugees. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Within the Fragments of Gurbet, which is to be shown at the Scottish Refugee Council (SRC)'s Refugee Festival Scotland next week, tells the stories of four immigrants to Glasgow - three of them refugees - and the places which matter to them. The film maps physical and emotional versions of Glasgow and explores how a place is shaped not just by its streets and shops, but by the feelings and invisible associations of its people. Fragments of Gurbet will premiere at Refugee Festival Scotland. | Refugee Festival Scotland Filmmaker Bircan Birol, who is half Turkish, half Kurdish, and has lived in Glasgow since 2019, was inspired to create the work after she visited a shop for the first time that sold authentic Turkish food. She said the shop made her experience what is known in Turkish as 'gurbet' – meaning a deep sense of longing, which is difficult to directly translate into English. 'That shop became special to me, like a marker of my version of the city,' said Ms Bircol. 'So the idea of mapping became a way to rethink the city, not just as a place we've arrived in, but as something we've shaped through our emotions, memories, connections and daily routines. What might seem ordinary to one person might hold deep significance for someone else. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Every corner of this city has a different story depending on who's standing there. If we look at Glasgow through that lens, maybe we can better understand how migrants like me carve out small pockets of comfort, moments that feel like home in a place that's still unfamiliar.' Bircan Birol is the filmmaker behind the project, | Refugee Festival Scotland Also sharing a version of the city they now call home was refugee Siraj Balubaid, who was born in Yemen, grew up in Saudi Arabia and does award-winning charity work with Bikes for Refugees Scotland. Other experiences are relayed by Fatou Cham Gitteh, from Gambia – a founding trustee of Ubuntu Women's Shelter who started her university education in Glasgow at the age of 62 - and Shakya Sereinghe, from Sri Lanka, who was a member of southside immigrant support charity Milk. Ms Bircol said: 'One of the main reasons I started making films was because I rarely saw people like me represented in mainstream media and films, so my immigrant experience has shaped both the stories I tell, and how I choose to tell them. 'Living between languages and cultures has made me more aware of what it means to not quite fit in. I try to explore this through film, to sit with big questions, understand them a bit more, or simply feel less alone in them.'
The National
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Glasgow exhibition showcases untold asylum seekers stories
Curated by Refugee Festival Scotland ambassador Sadia Sikandar, Unwritten Milestones: The Silent Talent Trapped in Limbo, will showcase seven black and white portraits each depicting an untold story of both struggle and resilience. The exhibition takes place in Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art from June 13 – 15 and will feature Sadia herself as she reflects on her own six-year experience in the asylum system. 'I endured inhumane conditions and trauma during those years. It felt like sacrificing my self-respect and honour,' she explained. READ MORE: BBC issues statement after staff 'held at gunpoint and strip searched ' by IDF Sikandar added: 'My aim with this exhibition is to reflect the individual journeys of asylum seekers and the profound impact of the UK asylum backlog on people's mental health, really capturing the reality of those navigating a system that often leaves them in limbo.' Despite being an award-winning teacher and international artist, Sikandar could not work while awaiting the resolution of her asylum case. Instead, she has devoted herself to volunteering in the arts sector, in universities, and even advocating for asylum seekers' rights at the UK Parliament. Unwritten Milestones aims to expose the continued hardships faced by asylum seekers and reflects on the missed opportunities and unfulfilled dreams of those trapped in the system while also offering them a platform to share their stories. Sadia (below) collaborated with organisations such as Scottish Refugee Council and Together Reaching Higher to find participants whose stories would be featured, witn each of the seven portraits telling a personal story. (Image: Sadia Sikandar) 'Photography and storytelling allow the community to open up in a unique and artistic way,' Sadia said. 'I hope it encourages the audience to think about how they can care for and welcome those who have been ignored. 'While others celebrate milestones, many asylum seekers cannot achieve their goals due to the limitations placed on them so it's also important for me to share my voice to raise awareness: every asylum seeker should have the right to work.' Sadia added that she hopes the exhibition serves not only as a call to action for policy reform but also as a bridge for understanding. She said by facilitating connections among participants and offering them emotional support, she is creating a sense of community and empowerment. 'Many people involved in the project feel seen and heard for the first time,' Sadia said. 'This project gives them confidence, makes them feel less alone, and helps them find new connections.' (Image: Sadia Sikandar) Refugee Festival Scotland is celebrating its 25th year of promoting and commemorating art, culture and community. The festival also marks the 40th anniversary of the Scottish Refugee Council, a national charity which supports thousands of men, women and children every year as they rebuild their lives in Scotland. Sadia is one of six Refugee Festival Scotland ambassadors, a group of spokespeople for the Festival, who share their experience to help build understanding about what it means to be a refugee in Scotland. She is also shortlisted in the Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards 2025. The exhibition is a milestone in itself for Sadia and the participants – one unwritten, until now. It is one of more than 150 events taking place across Scotland, most of which are free to attend, and involving artists and performers from more than 30 countries. Unwritten Milestones: The Silent Talent Trapped in Limbo will also be available to view at Refuweegee on Saturday 21 June in collaboration with Refuweegee, The Voice Network and Scottish Intercultural Association.
The National
29-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
The National nominated for three Refugee Media Awards
Our journalists have been nominated in the News and Feature of the Year categories for their powerful coverage of refugee life in Scotland and the UK. The organisers, the Scottish Refugee Council, said: "In an increasingly polarised world, accurate, responsible reporting on refugee and asylum issues has never been more important. "We are delighted to honour the work of all the journalists in Scotland covering refugee and asylum issues with care and integrity." The National was the Scottish newspaper with the most nominations in the shortlist. The nominations were as follows: Features of the Year Alasdair Ferguson, The National: Huss: How a queer Egyptian artist won right to stay in Scotland News story of the Year You can see the full list of nominations here. Best wishes to all of the media outlets shortlisted this year. The winners will be announced at the official ceremony, which will take place on June 11.
The Herald Scotland
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Refugee Festival Scotland announces 25th year lineup
More than 150 free events will take place across Scotland from June 13 to 22, featuring artists and performers from more than 30 countries. This year's theme, Milestones, celebrates decades of cultural enrichment, renewal and welcome, made possible by providing sanctuary in Scotland. It pays tribute to the effort, creativity and coming together of so many to sustain this. The festival also seeks to raise awareness of the global refugee crisis, with numbers of forcibly displaced individuals continuing to rise due to conflicts in regions such as Ukraine, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Read More: Among the events at the festival will be the premiere of Within the Fragments of Gurbet a specially commissioned film that maps Glasgow through the experience of five New Scots, including filmmaker Bircan Birol herself. Aberdeen will host Living Rhythms: Stories and Beats of Resilience, a vibrant celebration of refugee experience through storytelling, drumming and dance. In Dundee, a Ukrainian theatre group is staging a musical interpretation of Robinson Crusoe, exploring parallels between Crusoe's journey and the experience of forced displacement. There are a number of landmark collaborations between artists taking place across the festival, epitomised by the specially designed festival artwork by Yemeni artist Shatha Altowai and Palestinian artist Jude Ershead. Shapes, carefully stacked and balanced, represent the resilience and strength of refugees. As the layers build upon one another, they create a solid foundation – just as refugees, despite their diverse origins, come together to form strong, united communities. The patterns are inspired by traditional clothing, architecture, and crafts from Syria, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ukraine, and Iran. Refugee Festival Scotland manager, Mónica Laiseca said: 'Milestones offer us a moment to reflect on the incredible journeys people have taken to find safety here in Scotland. This festival is a tribute to their courage and a celebration of the warm welcome and support they have received from local communities over the past 25 years. We mark years of championing New Scot creativity as a vital part of Scottish culture and recognising the invaluable heritage that has been carefully assembled over the last quarter of a decade which deserves to be meaningfully supported, lived and carried forward. The festival aims to bring people from different backgrounds together to meet, mix and get to know each other better and we hope this year's event inspires even more connection, creativity, and solidarity among people.' Scottish Refugee Council chief executive, Sabir Zazai said: 'Bringing people from different cultures together to build friendship, solidarity and a sense of shared community is more important than ever. Last summer, racist riots swept across parts of the UK, creating fear in refugee and migrant communities. None of us ever want to see anything like that again. By uniting against these acts of violence and hostility, we're showing that a better way is possible. 'We believe Refugee Festival Scotland is an antidote to the negativity and hostility that's started to characterise conversations about migration and about people seeking safety here. Join us in June to see hope and positivity in action as we celebrate the diversity of all Scotland's communities.' Refugee Festival ambassador Shahid Khan said: 'Refugee Festival Scotland is a celebration – not just of culture and diversity, but of possibility. It's a moment to stop and reflect on the journeys being made all around us. This year, let us honour every milestone reached – and work together to remove the barriers that still remain. 'Integration is not just about what newcomers do to adapt, it's also about what kind of society they're adapting to. The more we foster kindness, opportunity, and mentorship, the more milestones we'll see for all of us.'
The National
04-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Sabir Zazai: Scotland dodged riots as refugees better integrated
Swathes of England descended into chaos in July and August last year after the fatal mass stabbing of children at a dance class in Southport, Merseyside – following fake online rumours that the perpetrator was a Muslim refugee. But riots never spread to Scotland, something the Scottish Refugee Council's chief executive, Sabir Zazai puts down to the country's approach to integrating migrants. Zazai, himself a refugee from Afghanistan, told the Sunday National: 'We have taken a rights-based whole-society approach to integration in Scotland and since 2013, the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy is heralding a new course to building and expanding diverse and integrated communities across Scotland.' The strategy aims to ensure that refugees are 'included in and contribute to society and to their communities' from the first day they arrive in Scotland. He said the strategy meant refugees were seen not as 'a threat or a burden but as people who have so much to contribute to our society'. Asked whether this had helped Scotland avoid last year's riots, Zazai (above) said: 'Partly that, partly how we work together, partly it is the framework that has been created as part of the successful delivery of New Scots engaging with the police, engaging with other authorities, when the riots were happening we were here, speaking with the police, speaking with local authorities, speaking with others, looking at how we avoid a situation like this. 'I'm not getting into Scottish exceptionalism, we do have our own issues here as well, the riots could have been worse here, too but we do have those frameworks.' Scotland has proportionately lower rates of immigration than the rest of the UK, taking in around 6% of the total number of immigrants compared with a population share of 8%. The country also has more positive attitudes about immigration than the UK, with data showing that 38% of Scots said more people should come to the country, versus 22% of people in the UK as a whole. When asked whether it should be reduced, 28% of Scots said immigration should be reduced against 48% of people across the UK. Zazai called on the UK Government to follow Scotland's lead, saying: 'In Scotland, we have that strategy, it's world-renowned, it's been flagged by the [UN Refugee Agency] as the best model for integration and the UK Government has got an opportunity to learn from that. 'We do have an opportunity in the UK to learn from the devolved government's approach to refugee integration, to create a UK-wide integration strategy and invest in that. Integration needs investment, you cannot expect people to sound like us and be part of our society when you put them below the poverty line and expect them to rebuild their lives.' As well as being beneficial for society, Zazai said there was a moral imperative for Britain to take in asylum seekers, adding: 'When people arrive, fleeing from some of the most dreadful conflicts around the world, it's everyone's responsibility to help them rebuild their lives.' Zazai also accused Labour of aping the far-right with some of their policies, especially a new policy to publish the ethnicities of criminals awaiting deportation, which critics say will result in 'league tables' of the worst-offending groups. After British nationals, the worst-offending groups are Albanians, Poles and Romanians – none of which are in the top nationalities of people claiming asylum in the UK. He said: 'Whether it's the criminal league tables or preventing refugees from seeking citizenship, the UK Government has announced a number of headline-grabbing measures. These are hostile statements which only increase divisions and fuel misinformation in our communities.' (Image: Henry Nicholls/PA Wire) Zazai added: 'We've got to take that whole society approach and not divide communities by labels in that way. That is what the far-right does.' On 'league tables', Zazai said that they would create the impression that foreigners were responsible for more crime than in reality, adding: 'The criminal league tables, the Government would never do an achievement league table of refugees.' He also blasted Labour's citizenship ban on asylum seekers who arrive in the country illegally – such as by arriving in small boats – saying that getting his British passport was a major moment for him in feeling part of society. He said: 'Citizenship was an important moment in my own journey. That sense of belonging and that sense of being part of a society starts at that moment.' The UK Government was approached for comment.
