Refugee Week

Refugee Week is a UK-wide programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contributions of refugees to the UK and encourages a better understanding between communities. Its aim is to deliver positive educational messages that counter fear, ignorance and negative stereotypes of refugees and to promote understanding about the reasons why people seek sanctuary.

Refugee Week was first held in 1998 and was created in response to the increasingly negative perceptions of refugees and asylum seekers held by the general public in Britain. It remains the only UK-wide event that promotes the importance of sanctuary and the benefits it can bring to both refugees and host communities. Every year during Refugee Week hundreds of events are organized across the UK, ranging from music festivals and art exhibitions to political debates, film screenings, conferences, school activities, sports and community events and more.

2011 marks the 60th anniversary of the UN Refugee Convention. Refugees are ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, forced to leave their homes and their families to escape from war, torture and persecution. The Convention exists to make sure that these people can get the protection they need. In escaping war and building a new life in a strange country, refugees acquire a great amount of courage, resilience and creativity. They have made an enormous contribution to the social, cultural, economic and political life of the UK.

For more information please see the following link:
http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk/

Black History Month (BHM)

Every October in Britain

The aims are to:

Promote knowledge of Black History, Cultural and Heritage
Disseminate information on positive Black contributions to British Society
Heighten the confidence and awareness of Black people to their cultural heritage.

The origins of BHM go back to 1926 when Carter G Woodson, editor for thirty years of the Journal of Negro History, established African Caribbean celebrations in America. It is still celebrated there in February each year. In Britain, the BHM had grown to over 6,000 events by October 2007 (the 20th anniversary) and continues to grow.

People from the Black community have been promoting arts and culture for many years. Examples can be traced to Berry Edwards in Manchester (Caribbean Week in the 70s), or Eric and Jessica Huntley from Ealing who regularly organised a Caribbean week in the late 70s and early 80's, or Alex Pascall who established, on BBC Radio London, the Black Londoners radio programme which went from a monthly, to a weekly, and then to a daily Programme.

Black History Month is recognised by the Government and many MPs get involved in hosting, chairing events, speaking at launches, and have provided forwards for the two magazines. GLA, Local Authorities, and the Home office have a BME network which organises seminars every year for staff.

This information is reproduced with kind permission from Mia Morris Well Placed Consultancy owner/founder.