Refugee Festival Scotland, our 2017 Highlights
With so many amazing events, it’s difficult to choose what to mention in our programme picks, but here are just a few highlights from this year’s Refugee Festival Scotland (20 June – 2 July) to get you started!
ART
Share My Table Open Day
Since January 2017, Share My Table has brought together refugees and local Scots to connect through food and stories.
Co-ordinated by Scottish Refugee Council and supported by Creative Scotland, Tramway and the Hidden Gardens, the project launched in the midst of the world’s worst refugee crisis, with millions of people forced to flee their homes in search of protection from violence and human rights abuses.
This multi-art form project brings together people and food from around the world as a starting point for conversations about belonging and welcome, as new and established Scots get to know each other while sharing a multicultural meal.
Join us at Tramway on 1 July 10.30am – 3.30pm, for Share my Table Open Day, where we will share some of the artwork from the project. There will be food, conversation and interactive creative activities throughout the session.
Families welcome but adults should be aware of the challenging themes.
WHO IS? Exhibition
Visual Art by Iman Tajik and Jonas Jessen Hansen. An installation that addresses provocative issues surrounding today’s immigration system, globalisation, and ‘the dream of a better life’. Their work offers alternative storytelling to that of the mainstream media. Creating a space for discussion, Iman and Jonas are hosting an artist talk and a film screening. The exhibition will run 23 June – 2 July in the Civic Rooms in Glasgow with a launch event on 22 June.
The Art of Connection
Exhibition of refugee portraits by artist Hannah Rose Thomas in The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh
Join us at the exhibition launch on 21 June to discover how artist Hannah Rose Thomas connected through her art with refugees in Jordan and Calais. View refugee art, connect with the Mental Health Foundation’s Refugee Programme and explore how you and your community can more deeply connect with the global refugee crisis.
Advanced booking essential. Click here for more info
THEATRE
Dundee Rep’s Youth Theatre presents The Blue Road + HOME Double Bill
The Blue Road is an exciting new play by acclaimed writer Laura Lomas exploring memory, loss, living in the aftermath and our capacity to begin again. HOME takes inspiration from The Blue Road and draws on personal and political stories from near and far, this new performance will explore what home means to us in 2017. Running 23 – 24 June.
FOOD AND DRINK
Eritrean Coffee Ceremony
Scotland is officially a nation of coffee lovers, so we can’t wait to sample some delicious Eritrean coffee at The Project Café on 27 June, 6 pm – 8 pm.
Join the Eritrean Women’s Group for their Coffee Ceremony, find out about Eritrean coffee culture and why it’s part of their identity, learn some Tigrinya, and enjoy some coffee tasting!
DANCE
Edinburgh City of Sanctuary Ceilidh Connections
A special ceilidh to celebrate the many people, places and organisations that make Edinburgh a welcoming city for people seeking sanctuary. A family-friendly evening
with shared food, followed by dancing and music from diverse community groups. 01 July, 5 pm – 11 pm.
DISCUSSION
Glasgow Refugee, Asylum and Migration Network
GRAMNet’s festival calendar is brimming with fascinating and thought-provoking events this year, with a strong focus on connections, conversations and knowledge sharing across geographies. Join them for discussions, exhibitions, storytelling evenings and much more. Events running throughout June.
FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES
Celebrate solidarity with refugees at a community celebration event in your local area
Scottish Refugee Council is supporting community-led groups right across the country to participate in the festival by organising an activity in their local area.
Choose from more than 30 family-friendly fun days, sports events, music nights and discussions and gain insight into what life is like for refugees living in Scotland.
Use our festival web page to track down what’s happening in your area.
Together let’s celebrate Scotland as a vibrant and welcoming place we can all be proud to call home. Join us and connect with refugees this festival.
For full programme listings visit our festival web page refugeefestivalscotland.co.uk
Join the festival conversation
Use the hashtag #RefugeeFestScot, like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter for the latest updates and news about the festival.
See you there!
For more information visit refugeefestivalscotland.co.uk or contact festival@scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk / 0141 248 9799
