UEA Refugee Week | UEA Sanctuary

UEA REFUGEE WEEK, 15-19 2021

Want to learn more about the UEA University of Sanctuary? Interested in finding out how you could volunteer with a refugee project? How about learning to cook Romanian tochitura or carrot and beef Iraqi rice? Come along to UEA refugee week!

Throughout the week we will be sharing information about sanctuary-related campaigns, research, grassroot projects, and how you can get directly involved in creating a culture of welcome.

Highlights of the week include:
• an information session with New Routes, English +, Bridge Plus and Norwich International Youth Project on the work taking place locally to support sanctuary seekers,
• a webinar led by Jonathan Ellis from Detention Forum, who will talk about work taking place across the UK to campaign for a review of the use of immigration detention,
• cooking tutorials led by Azhar Altimimi, Simona Loredana Hotiu and Nouh Salibo exploring a wide range of mouthwatering cuisines from Iraq, Romania and Sudan,
• a panel discussion focusing on how public media are covering the lives of refugees and asylum seekers as they make new homes here,
• mindfulness, Nia dance and games for social confidence sessions
• a university-wide fundraising event.

Please see below for details of all the events taking place during UEA Refugee Week. You can also download the full programme HERE

UEA REFUGEE WEEK SURVEY

During UEA Refugee Week, we are asking for UEA Staff and Students to share their thoughts on the work of the initiative. The survey will take 5-10minutes to complete. Please follow the link below to take part.

UEA Refugee Week Survey

If you have any queries, please contact the Sanctuary Liaison Officer (university.of.sanctuary@uea.ac.uk)

An immigration system based on fairness not force
Jonathan Ellis, Project Director at Detention Forum
Chaired by Esther Priyadharshini, School of Education & Lifelong Learning
12pm-1pm, via Blackboard
In the UK today, people are detained without a time limit, for months, sometimes even years. Detention Forum is a growing network of over 40 NGOs working together to challenge the use of immigration detention in the UK. The Forum campaigns to create a system based on fairness not force and alternatives to detention that are accountable and allow people to contribute to society.

Jonathan Ellis, Project Director at Detention Forum will focus on the new theory of change agreed by the Forum’s members, and will explore how the Forum can work together to achieve change.
Open to: UEA students/staff and general public
No need to prebook, please click here on the day

Learn to cook Romanian tochitura with Simona Loredana Hotiu
Chaired by Lauren Bouttell and Theresa Frey, School of Education and Lifelong Learning
1pm-2pm, via Zoom
A shared love of food and family recipes is something that unites us all, whatever our background and story. Join Simona to learn how to make one of her favourite recipes from her home country-Romanian tochitura. Once Simona has guided you through the recipe step by step, she will be on hand to answer questions and offer advice about making this delicious dish. The recipe and a list of ingredients will be sent in advance of the event.
Open to: UEA students/staff and general public
To book: click here to reserve your free place via Eventbrite

An introduction to the UEA University of Sanctuary initiative and the City of Sanctuary movement Sarah Gore, Ben Margolis, Claire Wood and Zana Yassin, Norwich City of Sanctuary
Chaired by Anna Robinson-Pant, School of Education & Lifelong Learning and Madi Dutton, School of International Development
2pm-3pm, via Blackboard
Join us to learn more about the UEA University of Sanctuary initiative and the City of Sanctuary movement. Find out what is taking place across campus and Norfolk to create a culture of welcome for sanctuary seekers, plus how you can get involved.
Open to: UEA students and staff
No need to prebook, please click here on the day

Please click here for the session handout which includes further information about the Norwich City of Sanctuary

Information session about studying at university & the UEA sanctuary scholarships
Hosted by Liz Ferguson, Outreach, and Peter Courridge, Finance, Planning and Governance
3pm-4pm, via Blackboard
UEA’s University of Sanctuary team is hosting an online session for people who are seeking sanctuary in the UK and would like to find out about studying at university in England and UEA’s Sanctuary Scholarships.
Open to: sanctuary seekers
No need to prebook, please click here on the day

UEA STAR Society Migrateful cooking event
5.30pm-7.30pm via Zoom
Join UEA STAR society for an informative discussion about the #FamiliesTogether campaign, followed by a cookery class with the charity Migrateful. Migrateful are a national charity who run cookery classes led by refugee and migrant chefs who are struggling to integrate and access employment, due to legal and linguistic barriers.
Eritrean chef Helen will be teaching attendees how to make three delicious vegan dishes; timtimo, hamli and an Eritrean salad!
Open to: UEA students and staff
To book: please visit the UEA STAR society Facebook page (@UEASTAR ) to reserve your free place

Nia: finding joy through movement
Christine Morling, Moving Life
11am-12pm, via Zoom
Join us for a Nia dance session led by Christine Morling from Moving Life. Nia is a choreographed dance, combining dance, martial arts and healing arts. Put that into a pot, add great music, your emotions, your way of moving and joy…lots of joy. It’s a powerful tool to reduce fear and stress, and connect you to your spirit.
Open to: this session has been developed with sanctuary seekers in mind. It is also open to UEA staff and students
To book: click here to reserve your free place via Eventbrite

Meet with representatives from Norfolk’s sanctuary NGOs
Chaired by Anna Robinson-Pant, School of Education & Lifelong Learning
12pm-1pm, via Blackboard
Representatives from local sanctuary focused NGOs, including New Routes, Bridge Plus, English + and Norwich International Youth Project, will share information about their work supporting sanctuary seekers in Norfolk. There will be an opportunity to chat directly with the representatives and ask questions about their work, including how you can get involved.
Open to: UEA students and staff
No need to prebook, please click here on the day
Please click here for the session handout which includes further information about each organisation

An introduction to mindfulness
Kate Russell, School of Education and Lifelong Learning
1pm-2pm, via Zoom
Across 3 one-hour sessions you will be introduced to some of the key foundations of mindfulness practices: attention, awareness, and non-judgement. Each session will help you learn how to direct your attention on the present moment through simple meditation practices and other tasks. No experience required. The sessions will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Open to: this session has been developed with sanctuary seekers in mind. It is also open to UEA staff and students
To book: please email Kate (kate.russell@uea.ac.uk) to reserve your free place

Games for social confidence
Claire Cuminatto, School of School of Politics, Philosophy, Language and Communication and Danny O’Hara, Dogface Improv
3pm-4pm, via Zoom,
In this session, you will be invited to take part in fun role-plays and games. Come join us in a safe and friendly space to meet new people, use your imagination, have a laugh and socialise! Maximum of 10 spaces available.
Open to: this session has been developed with sanctuary seekers in mind. It is also open to UEA students and staff
To book: please email Claire (c.cuminatto@uea.ac.uk) to reserve your free place

Learn to cook Eggplant Salad with Nouh Salibo
Chaired by Madi Dutton, School of International Development
5pm-6pm, via Zoom
Join Nouh Salibo to learn how to cook Eggplant salad, a Sudanese recipe brimming with flavour. Once Nouh has guided you through the recipe step by step, he will be on hand to answer questions and offer advice about making this beautiful dish. The recipe and a list of ingredients will be sent in advance of the event.
Open to: UEA students/staff and general public
To book: click here to reserve your free place via Eventbrite

UEA RAG society refugee week quiz
7pm, via Zoom, £2 per person
Come and join in this winter warmer quiz, whilst helping to raise money for the following charities: New Routes, a Norwich based charity who work with and support refugees, asylum seekers and isolated migrants and promote cross-cultural integration and community awareness, CAMFED a pan-African movement, revolutionizing how girls’ education is delivered and Stop Hate UK, who aim to tackle Hate Crime, discrimination and encourage reporting and supporting the individuals and communities it affects.
Open to: UEA students and staff
To book: click here to purchase your ticket via the UEA Student Union website

‘Refugees in European Higher Education’ presented by Dr Selin Sivis, University of Essex
Chaired by Liliana Harding, School of Economics and convenor of the UEA Migration Research Network
12pm-1pm, via Blackboard
The right to education is a fundamental human right but evidence indicates that only one percent of refugee youth can access and continue higher education. Refugee-like populations face multiple obstacles in their host countries to access to higher education owing to a lack of comprehensive national policy approaches and sustainable broad-based internationalization frameworks. This online webinar will provide an overview and descriptive analysis of educational policies for refugees in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom and Turkey and explore how these countries have responded to refugee students’ integration into higher education.
Organised by the UEA Migration Research Network and the University of Sanctuary initiative
Open to: UEA students/ staff and general public
No need to prebook, please click here on the day

An introduction to mindfulness
Kate Russell, School of Education and Lifelong Learning
1pm-2pm, via Zoom
Across 3 one-hour sessions you will be introduced to some of the key foundations of mindfulness practices: attention, awareness, and non-judgement. Each session will help you learn how to direct your attention on the present moment through simple meditation practices and other tasks.
No experience required. The sessions will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Open to: this session has been developed with sanctuary seekers in mind. It is also open to UEA staff and students
To book: please email Kate (kate.russell@uea.ac.uk) to reserve your free place

“We are so glad you are coming” (?) – The language of letters to international researchers
Sophie Campbell White, School of International Development
Chaired by Nitya Rao and Ulrike Theuerkauf, School of International Development
1pm-2pm, via Blackboard
This session presents the rationale behind an ongoing UEA University of Sanctuary project on the phrasing of invitation letters to international researchers. The project seeks to analyse how UK universities communicate with visiting researchers from abroad, and how immigration rules and policies affect the phrasing of official university letters to these researchers.
Open to: students, staff and general public
No need to prebook, please click here on the day

‘Welcoming new neighbours’: how public media works for refugees and asylum seekers
Panel discussion with Marwa Daher, Journalism student and The Voices Network Ambassador, Dr Mel Bunce, Reader in the Department of Journalism at City, University of London, Simon Israel, Senior Correspondent for Channel 4 News, David Hua, Director of Special Broadcasting Service Australia and Isabel Schayani, Editor at Westdeutschen Rundfunk, Germany
Chaired by Sally-Ann Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, Public Media Alliance
2pm-3pm, via Zoom
Bringing communities together is a key role for public media and this includes welcoming our new neighbours. This webinar will explore how public media are covering the lives of refugees and asylum seekers as they make new homes here in the UK. Innovations and clips from other public media organisations around the world will also be shared.

The Public Media Alliance (PMA) is the largest global association of public broadcasters. PMA is based in offices at UEA, building on its long partnership with the School of International Development (DEV).

Open to: UEA students/ staff and general public
To book: click here to reserve your free place via Eventbrite

Decolonising Academia: Realisation and Beyond seminar series
Borders – Dr. Kathryn Medien, The Open University, and Dr. Kavita Ramakrishnan, School of International Development, in conversation with PhD Researcher Moé Suzuki (School of Politics, Philosophy, Language and Communication)
10am-11am, via BigMarker
The theme of borders will be discussed in the third session of the ‘Decolonising Academia: Realisation and Beyond’ seminar series. Borders have a somewhat more obvious connection to colonialism in terms of division of nation-states by colonial powers, as well as the violence of nation-state borders that inhibit certain people’s mobility while facilitating others. This session will explore the theme of borders not just in terms of nation-state borders but also in more metaphorical and epistemological ways. This includes everyday bordering practices in academia and society at large, racism, the privileging of English as the dominant language in academia, and what is (not) considered to be knowledge in academia.
Open to: UEA students/ staff and general public
To book: Click here to reserve your free place via Bigmarker

Learn to cook carrot and beef Iraqi rice with Azhar Altimimi
Chaired by Lauren Bouttell and Theresa Frey,
School of Education and Lifelong Learning
12pm-1pm, via Zoom
Join Azhar Altimimi to learn how to make carrot and beef Iraqi rice, a delicious dish from Azhar’s home country. Once Azhar has guided you through the recipe step by step, she will be on hand to answer questions and offer advice about making this mouthwatering dish. The recipe and a list of ingredients will be sent in advance of the event.
Open to: UEA students/ staff and general public
To book: click here to reserve your free place via Eventbrite

Norwich City of Sanctuary Arts Stream art auction
Via Zoom, 7pm-9pm, £2 per person
UEA Refugee Week will conclude with an online art auction organised by the Norwich City of Sanctuary Arts Stream. Come and purchase a unique piece of art whilst helping to raise money for the Norwich Integration Partnership, Norwich International Youth Project and Norwich City of Sanctuary. Artworks have been donated by Colin Self, Ileana Hunter, Andy Jarrett and many more.
Open to: UEA students/staff and general public
To book: click here to purchase your ticket via Eventbrite

For further information on the events taking place during UEA refugee
week, please contact Madi Dutton, Sanctuary Liaison Officer
(university.of.sanctuary@uea.ac.uk).