Bags of Hope
A two-metre structure of towering backpacks will appear at London’s South Bank on World Refugee Day, to provoke reflection and encourage empathy towards refugees and people seeking asylum in the UK.
Commissioned by charity Migrant Help to mark Refugee Week, Bags of Hope symbolises the hopes and dreams carried by displaced people as they journey from their home countries in search of safety. It also aims to bring to life the people behind the statistics, with over 30 luggage tags on the backpacks revealing the objects that symbolise the journey, present situation or hopes for the future of displaced or trafficked people.
The powerful and emotive art pop-up is free to the public and will be displayed at London’s South Bank (Riverside West) for three days, until 4pm on Thursday 22 June 2023.
Macbis Maldonado, 32, who is seeking asylum in the UK after political persecution in her home country of Honduras, said:
“Some people think that we come her because we want to live off the government, but that’s not the case. I just want to live a normal life and feel safe. My son has his hopes and dreams and I do too. Everybody should be granted that right – to build a life again.
Macbis’ hope, of once again having a home that she could cook in, is represented on her ‘Bag of Hope’ by a saucepan.
Bags of Hope also marks Migrant Help’s milestone 60th anniversary year. Since 1963, the charity has been supporting and protecting people affected by displacement and exploitation, helping them thrive as individuals and recover from their trauma.
Caroline O’Connor, CEO of Migrant Help, said:
“People who seek asylum were forced to leave their homes through unimaginable trauma, their lives as they knew them often stolen in a matter of minutes. But, like all of us, they have hopes and dreams that live on. Bags of Hope aims to bring these stories to life.
“No-one chooses to be a refugee. As Migrant Help celebrates its 60th anniversary, we hope to share the stories of the incredible, resilient people we work with, and ultimately continue our unrelenting mission of helping to rebuild the stolen lives of refugees, people seeking asylum, and survivors of trafficking and modern slavery in the UK.”
Sophie Cunningham, the artist who created the installation, added:
“In my art practice I use clothing as a sculptural material, and for this project have chosen to work with second-hand backpacks to consider the inherent stories embedded within objects we wear on our bodies.
“When talking to my partner about his memories as a child refugee from Afghanistan in the 90s, I was drawn to the relevance of the backpack as a functional and symbolic object used to carry essential items. When fleeing their homes, refugees leave behind most of their belongings, leaving only with what they can carry.”
Migrant Help supported 81,776 people seeking asylum in 2022, and 1,940 survivors of modern slavery. For more information on Migrant Help and how to support their work in rebuilding stolen lives, visit