REFUGEE WEEK 2019

Schools contribute to art exhibition

Pupils have been exploring the lives of refugees and migrants who have made their homes in the UK. 

By looking at the lives of famous refugees, pupils were able to discuss the contributions they’ve made to British life whether in sport, entertainment, literature or science.

The workshops at Norwich’s Millennium Library challenge the stereotypes which surround refugees through art. 

The artwork produced will contribute to The HumaniTea Project, an art exhibition which will be displayed at the Open Trust Youth Cafe in Norwich during Refugee Week (17th-23rd June 2019.) 

The final installation has been produced by local artists working with displaced people through Norwich International Youth Project, lead by The Friend Ship.

ENGAGING THROUGH ART

The HumaniTea Party

Inspired by Judy Chicago’s 1970’s installation The Dinner Party, the HumaniTea party will result in an art installation of a table set for ‘invited’ well known refugees, with ceramic plates, woven table mats, mosaic lanterns and wire name place holders for each guest and celebrating their contribution to our world. 

The workshops focus on welcome and sanctuary for all, promoting the importance of friendship, kindness and the universal human right of freedom using the arts. 

MORE ABOUT THE FRIEND SHIP PROJECT. Events such as The HumaniTea Party provide an opportunity to campaign for key issues to improve the lives of displaced people through social and political change. We are currently focusing on campaigning to call on the Government to give people seeking asylum the right to work and put an end to indefinite detention in the UK. The project has been lead by Emma Skeet, who travelled to Athens in Greece in 2016 to carry out art work with young refugees waiting in refugee camps. The asylum seekers, mainly from Syria and Afghanistan, were grateful for something for their bored children to do, and were happy to share their stories with volunteers who had turned up from all over the world. Since returning to Norwich she has worked on arts projects through The Friend Ship, raising the profile of issues surrounding refugees and asylum seekers.

Famous refugees

Albert Einstein

Fled Germany in 1933 as a Jew, finding sanctuary in Cromer, Norfolk before settling in the United States.

Rita Ora

The renowned singer’s family were forced to leave war-torn former Yugoslavia as a child, coming to the UK as refugees.

Saido Berahino

Now a professional footballer, he travelled to the UK alone at the age of 10, fleeing war in his home country of Burundi.