There are so many ways to tell your story as part of Refugee Festival Scotland. Here are a few suggestions from previous festivals, our wider work and our friends in communities across Scotland to help you get started with planning your event.
Activism
With the Borders Bill and Policing Bill going through parliament, there is so much that we need to fight against right now.
You could arrange a gathering in your community.
or hold an exhibition collecting protest signs to spark discussion, debate and remember our history.
You can also sign up to Together With Refugees a coalition of groups campaigning for a kinder and fairer asylum system.
Art
Arts and culture play a powerful role in helping people settle into their new homes.
You could create a piece of public art which prompts people to stop and think.
or hold an exhibition of work created through workshops with new Scots artists.
Community
We’ve all felt isolation over the past few years. It’s time to bring our community back together.
You could bring local and new Scots communities together for a cultural exchange.
or you could create a safe, accessible space for women to come along and connect with each other over yoga and belly dancing.
Dance
Dance has the power to bring us together, to entertain and to spark new ideas.
You could showcase your response to borders and the hostile environment.
or bring your community together with a cross-cultural ceilidh.
Film
There are so many fantastic films which portray the refugee experience – many of these are critically acclaimed and even up for awards. For example: Flee, Hostile, Limbo, On Our Doorstep, Soufra, to name but a few.
You could host a screening and panel discussion of your favourite film.
or hold a filmmaking workshop and work with new Scots to create a whole new film.
Food
Food has the power to bring people together, to connect you with your past and heritage, and to show love.
You could bring your community together over a hearty meal.
or hold a cooking class to share your favourite recipes.
Music
Music is a powerful universal language.
or perform songs of solidarity, hopes and dreams which transcend borders.
Photography
Photography can capture the moments and stories that can’t be put into words.
You could hold an exhibition of photography by artists with lived experience.
or hold a photography workshop to foster new connections and spark a new hobby.
Poetry
Poetry lies deep within us, and when it finds the right words, magic happens.
You could hold a series of poetry writing workshops culminating in an open mic night.
or bring people together to write a collaborative poem.
Stories
We are all made of stories, but we don’t all have the same opportunities to share ours.
You could hold an event which encourages people to share meaningful objects and the stories behind them.
or hold workshops to explore the asylum system through children’s eyes.
Sport
Sport fosters community and connection across borders, across languages, regardless of who you are.
You could hold a football tournament which brings different groups together. :
or invite new Scots to give your sport a go.
Theatre
Theatre is a powerful tool for connecting with audiences, taking back agency and telling your story.
You could use theatre to help audiences understand the absurdity of the asylum process.
or re-tell a classic story through a whole new lens.
