City of Sanctuary, Scotland

City of Sanctuary holds the vision that the UK will be welcoming places of safety for all and proud to offer sanctuary to people fleeing violence and persecution. City of Sanctuary 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 ‘City of Sanctuary’ – a city that takes pride in the welcome it offers to people in need of safety.

Since then, City of Sanctuary UK, the umbrella organisation, has supported the development of a network of groups, which includes villages, towns, cities and regions across the UK, and others engaged in Streams of Sanctuary, Sanctuary Awards and activities intended to welcome people seeking sanctuary. Whilst we are a movement in our own right City of Sanctuary also contributes towards wider movement building through partnership work and supporting advocacy and campaigning initiatives.

City of Sanctuary UK enjoys close partnerships with all the major refugee organisations and we are committed to working with them to build a united voice to advocate for people seeking sanctuary in our nations and worldwide.