Conference News

People representing groups from over 20 towns and cities, from Glasgow to Portsmouth, came to our first City of Sanctuary national conference on 4th June to share ideas about how to build their own local Cities (Towns or Villages) of Sanctuary.

Donna Covey, Chief Executive of the Refugee Council, told participants that City of Sanctuary is a ‘once in a generation opportunity' to build a culture that welcomes people in need of sanctuary. ‘A culture of welcome can't be imposed,' she emphasised. But as with changing attitudes to the environment or fair trade, huge changes can happen from ‘good folk coming together' to influence their own communities.

We also heard about the development of City of Sanctuary in Sheffield and Leicester, as well as the history of different sanctuary movements through history, in a talk by Prof. Paul Weller of Derby University.

The next stage is for people in their own towns and cities to create working groups, which will start to build local movements of solidarity and support for people seeking sanctuary. These groups will become part of our national City of Sanctuary network which has its next meeting in Leicester on 16th July.

City of Sanctuary in London

City of Sanctuary in London has taken its first step, with an initial meeting in May and ambitious plans for the future as an ‘Olympic City of Sanctuary'.
Please do spread the word about City of Sanctuary London and get any friends and contacts who live and work in the capital to get in touch and get involved. The contact address is: timserin@hotmail.com
Next meeting on Thursday 26th June - 6.30-7.30pm
London Youth Office, 47-49 Pitfield St, London N1 6DA

Open Democracy

Over the next fortnight the online magazine 'Open Democracy' is working with City of Sanctuary to produce a series of articles and podcasts on the experiences of people seeking sanctuary in the UK. You can read, listen, and participate in discussion at opendemocracy.net

Saving Sanctuary

"The development and expansion of the ‘City of Sanctuary' movement is expressly to be encouraged as one way of forming a centre ground for sanctuary at a local level", according to The Independent Asylum Commission.
The IAC has just published the first report of its conclusions and recommendations for reform of the UK asylum system: ‘Saving Sanctuary' (available at www.independentasylumcommission.org.uk)

These recommendations are intended to offer policy-makers a set of well-researched and achievable actions to create a more just, humane and effective system for people seeking sanctuary in the UK.