Sabir Zazai, who has been the chief executive at Scottish Refugee Council since 2017, shares his message of hope after a challenging year.
This winter, many of us will be looking forward to celebrating and sharing a meal with loved ones.
Meanwhile, for some, it will be their very first festive season in Scotland.
When I arrived in the UK in December 1999, after fleeing war in Afghanistan, my first few winters here without my friends and family were very lonely and difficult. I hope that people across the country can extend a hand of friendship and a show of solidarity with people who have been forced to start all over again.
Fleeing conflict and persecution is not a choice, but we can all choose how we welcome those seeking safety. I know from my own experience that people will never forget the kindness shown to them when rebuilding their lives after leaving everything they know behind.
As we enter 2026, I’ll be looking back not just on the past year, but on 40 years of welcoming people seeking sanctuary in Scotland.
As a former refugee, I believe hope is not passive. It is bold, active, and resilient
Scottish Refugee Council’s significant anniversary this year is not just about our shared history, but also celebrating what we can achieve when hope and community brings us together.
Our work has not been without its challenges. The public conversation around refugees and migration has often become toxic and muddied with misinformation. Recent asylum policy announcements have been bleak, unworkable and inhumane. But even in these times, I remain hopeful that when faced with the choice, most of us will choose compassion over cruelty, and friendship over fear.
As a former refugee, I believe hope is not passive. It is bold, active, and resilient. Hope is beautiful. It asks us to stand together for humanity and to believe that compassion can overcome fear. That is what Scottish Refugee Council has done for four decades, and it is what we will continue to do with you by our side.
Thank you for being part of this story. Your support has brought light to thousands of lives. And I believe that together, we can make the next chapter even brighter.
As we prepare to step into a new year, I invite you to join us in this work of hope.
Here’s how you can stand with us:
- Support our Winter Appeal to help someone start again in safety
- Campaign with us by asking your MP to choose compassion over cruelty and reject the UK government’s harsh new immigration plans
- Push back against anti-migrant sentiment by sharing voices of bravery, truth, community and hope.
Let’s keep building a Scotland where everyone belongs. Where the rights of those seeking safety are protected. And where we can all find safety, dignity and hope, no matter where we have come from, or how we arrived.
The main image in this article is by artist Malini Chakrabarty. You can buy festive cards featuring her artwork here.
