Event: Conversations in the Hothouse – Refugee Week 2015
Date: Saturday 6th June 2015
Time: 11.00am – 2.00pm
Place: Hothouse, Salamanca Lawns
People have the unique opportunity to converse with some remarkable young refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in a conversation pod at the Hothouse at Salamanca Lawns on Saturday the 6th of June from 11.00am until 2.00pm.
The event is a prelude to Refugee Week 2015, which runs from Sunday 14 June to Saturday 20 June 2015. The Refugee Council of Australia has chosen “With courage let us all combine” as the theme for Refugee Week. Taken from the second verse of the national anthem, the theme celebrates the courage of refugees and of people who speak out against persecution and injustice. It serves as a call for unity and for positive action, encouraging Australians to improve our nation’s welcome for refugees and to acknowledge the skills and energy refugees bring to their new home.
Young people from countries such as Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal and Iran will lead the activities which will include sharing their music, food and artefacts along with stories of their experiences and hopes. They will tell their personal stories in a bid to shed light on the array of circumstances which led to them fleeing their home countries and seeking a safe life elsewhere. Though sharing their stories they hope to build understanding of their experiences and raise awareness of racism and other forms of discrimination.
The event is led by Students Against Racism, supported by A Fairer World, TasTAFE, the Migrant Resource Centre (Southern Tasmania) Inc, the Department of Social Services and the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.
A short promotional film clip can be viewed at:
https://vimeo.com/129073884.
Gillian Long, Gini Ennals
