We’re delighted to share the programme for the first national Refugee Week Conference in Bristol, which will be held at Trinity Centre on Thursday 13 February!
Refugee Week Conference Bristol is a day of inspiration, workshops and discussion in preparation for Refugee Week (15-21 June), held in partnership with Bristol Refugee Festival and Platforma Arts and Refugees Network , and produced by Refugee Week UK Coordinators Counterpoints Arts.
The Conference follows Refugee Week Conference London, which is on Monday 10 February (you can see the programme here).
PROGRAMME
1000 – 1045 ARRIVAL
Networking
Welcome Activity
Tea and Coffee
1045 – 1130 SESSION 1: SETTING THE SCENE + PLANS FOR 2020
Welcome
Asher Craig, Deputy Mayor of Bristol
Creative Warm Up
Taban Osman, Kurdish Actor and Singer
Refugee Week and Bristol Refugee Festival 2020
Jules Olsen, Bristol Refugee Festival
Emily Churchill Zaraa, Refugee Week UK Coordinator, Counterpoints Arts
+ Hafza Yusuf, Refugee Week Leadership Project
What’s For Lunch
Movable Feast
1130 – 1300 MORNING WORKSHOPS: CHOICE OF 6 (See below)
1300 – 1400 LUNCH
Networking
Lunch by Movable Feast
1400 – 1430 POST-LUNCH INSPIRATION
Musical Performance
Nabra, Duo combining oud and expressive Arabic vocals
Keynote: Imagine
Bristol Refugee Rights VOICE Speakers
1430 – 1545 AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS: CHOICE OF 6 (See below )
1545 – 1630 SHARING + NEXT STEPS
Next Steps
Jules Olsen, Bristol Refugee Festival
From the Floor
Sharing from Writing Workshop
Evaluation
Closing thoughts
Mandla-Rae Nkomo, Refugee Week Leadership Project
MORNING WORKSHOPS
1. IMAGINE: CREATIVE WRITING
Fiona Hamilton, Writer and Facilitator
A creative writing workshop exploring your ideas inspired by the theme of ‘Imagine’. This workshop is open to everybody, with no writing experience necessary, and there will be an opportunity to give a performance of the writing at the end of the conference.
2. CLIMATE CHANGE AND MIGRATION
April Humble, Writer on border security, climate change and migration
On Human Rights Day last year, Bristol held a first-of-its-kind event on climate change and migration for community members and leaders of the city. This follow-up workshop will allow us to think about how to propel this discussion and new networking towards action. The workshop will facilitate group discussion on what climate change and migration is, where the responsibility for protection lies and climate justice. We will then explore ways to address these barriers to justice in a warming world.
3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND REFUGEE WEEK IN THE SOUTH-WEST
David Feindouno, Plymouth Hope Festival and Red Cross Plymouth
What do we mean by ‘community engagement’? Which communities are we trying to engage, and how can we reach them? A workshop for organisers across the South-West to share their learning, experiences and plans for Refugee Week 2020.
4. MINDING OUR LANGUAGE
VOICE Speakers
‘Asylum seeker’, ‘refugee’, ‘immigrant’ – which words are used about people in the asylum system? Have you wondered how people feel about them, and which words to use? Join Bristol Refugee Rights VOICE speakers and volunteers to reflect together on the words used to describe people in the asylum system in the UK, which feel positive and which we might want to change.
5. IMAGINING WELCOME THROUGH ARTS AND CULTURE
Mandla-Rae Nkomo and Hafza Yusuf, Refugee Week Leadership Project
A workshop exploring how those working in the arts can engage with refugee experiences. Members of the Refugee Week Leadership Project lead a discussion on how arts organisations can become more inclusive of displaced people, and how institutions and artists might respond to the Refugee Week 2020 theme of ‘Imagine’.
6. WORKING WITH LOCAL AND REGIONAL MEDIA
Niall Mann, IMIX
A workshop providing tips on how to work with local and regional media to secure publicity for your Refugee Week event or activity. The session will cover how to work with journalists and what they want, how to write a press release, tips for interviews and how to work with people sharing their personal story.
AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS
1. IMAGINE: CREATIVE WRITING
Fiona Hamilton, Writer and Facilitator
A creative writing workshop exploring your ideas inspired by the theme of ‘Imagine’. This workshop is open to everybody, with no writing experience necessary, and there will be an opportunity to give a performance of the writing at the end of the conference.
2. CLIMATE CHANGE AND MIGRATION
April Humble, Writer on border security, climate change and migration
On Human Rights Day last year, Bristol held a first-of-its-kind event on climate change and migration for community members and leaders of the city. This follow-up workshop will allow us to think about how to propel this discussion and new networking towards action. The workshop will facilitate group discussion on what climate change and migration is, where the responsibility for protection lies and climate justice. We will then explore ways to address these barriers to justice in a warming world.
3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND REFUGEE WEEK IN THE SOUTH-WEST
David Feindouno, Plymouth Hope Festival and Red Cross Plymouth
What do we mean by ‘community engagement’? Which communities are we trying to engage, and how can we reach them? A workshop for organisers across the South-West to share their learning, experiences and plans for Refugee Week 2020.
4. MINDING OUR LANGUAGE
VOICE Speakers
‘Asylum seeker’, ‘refugee’, ‘immigrant’ – which words are used about people in the asylum system? Have you wondered how people feel about them, and which words to use? Join Bristol Refugee Rights VOICE speakers and volunteers to reflect together on the words used to describe people in the asylum system in the UK, which feel positive and which we would want to change.
5. FUNDING YOUR REFUGEE WEEK PROGRAMME
Tom Green, Platforma Arts and Refugees Network, Counterpoints Arts
Where can funding be found for cultural activities like Refugee Week? Tom Green shares approaches to applying to funders including Arts Council and the National Lottery’s Awards for All and Heritage funds.
6. HARNESSING THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Katherine Maxwell-Rose, IMIX
We all have powerful stories to tell – but how can we tell them in a way that will gain traction on social media? This workshop will cover which social media platforms and tools to use to best reach your audience and stand out from the crowd. We’ll particularly focus on storytelling techniques, consistent messaging and the importance of visual content. You’ll also learn more about the Refugee Week 2020 social media campaign, how you can be part of it and promoting your own Refugee Week events.