Refugee Council is supporting the City of Sanctuary movement which is working to build a culture of hospitality for refugees and asylum-seekers in cities and towns across the UK.
The Refugee Council is a national partner of the grassroots movement, helping it to promote the concept among local people who are interested in their city, town or village getting involved.
Find out more from the City of Sanctuary website
City of Sanctuary and Refugee Council
Many people are now familiar with the idea of a ‘Fairtrade City,’ in which a wide range of community groups and organisations make a commitment to using and selling fairtrade goods. In a similar way a ‘City of Sanctuary’ is a place where a broad range of local organisations, community groups and faith communities, as well as local government, are publicly committed to welcoming and including asylum-seekers and refugees in all aspects of life.
The City of Sanctuary movement began in October 2005 in Sheffield. In September 2007, with the support of the City Council and over 70 local community organisations, Sheffield became the UK’s first official ‘City of Sanctuary’ for asylum-seekers and refugees.
There are now City of Sanctuary working groups in Leicester and Leeds, and interest is growing across the country. In 2008 it aims to see a growing national City of Sanctuary movement that can start to influence policy-makers and public attitudes throughout the country. Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust is supporting the work.
Refugee Council, which has an office in Sheffield, has been supportive of this local initiative since its inception. But in recent months, the idea of City of Sanctuary going national has gathered pace. At the Refugee Council’s national conference in November 2007, the Chair of City of Sanctuary, Inderjit Bhogal, addressed the delegates and the Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, Donna Covey, formally pledged the Refugee Council’s support for the concept.
What’s happening next?
In 2008 we aim to see a growing national City of Sanctuary movement that can start to influence policy-makers and public attitudes throughout the country. Refugee Council will be working closely with others to promote this exciting initiative.
February 2008 – City of Sanctuary highlighted at Refugee Week Conference
With the backing of Refugee Council, the City of Sanctuary coordinator will be promoting the movement at the Refugee Week conference in London on Friday 15th February in London. This will be a chance for people from across the UK to learn more about how they might take forward City of Sanctuary initiatives in their own local areas. June 2008 – First national City of Sanctuary conference
Planning is now underway for the first City of Sanctuary national conference on 4th June in Sheffield, which Refugee Council will be helping to support and promote. The aim of the conference is to bring together people from communities across the UK who are alread involved in City of Sanctuary initiatives or who are interested in the idea.
If you are interested in City of Sanctuary, please contact Richard Byrne at Refugee Council's Leeds office.
