City of Sanctuary Oxford

Oxford News

Refugee organisations join together to celebrate Refugee Week

Submitted by Amy on Sun, 20/06/2010 - 09:32

Refugee Week celebrations

Organisations working with refugees and people seeking sanctuary in Oxford joined together yesterday to celebrate Refugee Week.

New Road Baptist Church opened its doors to members of the public offering homemade cakes, live music, face painting and an opportunity to find out more about the issues affecting refugees and people seeking sanctuary.

Asylum Welcome, Refugee Resource, Oxford City of Sanctuary, Oxford Amnesty International, Oxford Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture and Student Action for Refugees (STAR), were on hand to talk to people wanting to learn more about sanctuary in Oxford.

Jessica Mary Hall and Simon Davies provided beautiful live music throughout the afternoon.

If you would like to find out more about how you can support refugees or people seeking sanctuary in Oxford then email oxford@cityofsanctuary.org.

Oxford to host a screening of Moving to Mars: A Million Miles from Burma

Submitted by Amy on Sun, 31/01/2010 - 17:41

Moving to Mars
Oxford City of Sanctuary, with support from the Lord Mayor of Oxford and Coded Pictures, will host a gala screening of Moving to Mars: A Million Miles from Burma, on Monday 1 March at the Ultimate Picture Palace on Cowley Road.

Oxford people and organisations asked to pledge support for city to become a place of sanctuary

Submitted by Amy on Fri, 05/06/2009 - 16:39

Oxford’s City of Sanctuary group is encouraging individuals and organisations in the City to pledge their support to refugees and people seeking sanctuary by signing a resolution of support.

To find out about the ways that you or your organisation could practically welcome and support refugees and people seeking sanctuary in Oxford, or to sign a resolution of support, please email: oxford@cityofsanctuary.org.

Lord Mayor holds Reception for people seeking asylum in Oxford

Submitted by Liz Peretz on Wed, 11/03/2009 - 23:21

Lord Mayor's Reception
The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Susanna Pressel, held a tea time recepton on Monday March 9th with the Oxford City of Sanctuary group to show a positive welcome to refugees and people seeking asylum in Oxford.

This was a warm and respectful occasion, and marks the first real Oxford City of Sanctuary public event after the City Council pledged their support. People shared their stories of hardship, and of the ways in which refugee organisations in Oxford and the City Council had supported them to build their lives and make homes, friends, and find education and employment here. There was press coverage from the Oxford Mail and on BBC Oxford.

About 25 people attended the event, including refugees and people seeking asylum of all ages and from many countries, Green and Labour Party councillors, staff and volunteers from Asylum Welcome, Refugee Resource and Open Door, and members of Oxford’s City of Sanctuary group.

Oxford City of Sanctuary: Mission Statement

Submitted by Amy on Thu, 20/11/2008 - 22:01

As a starting point to make Oxford a “City of Sanctuary” a number of organisations, individual members of the public and voluntary sector and faith groups have come together, with a commitment to welcoming and including asylum-seekers and refugees in all the activities of our community. Recently a motion of support was passed by the Oxford City Council for the development of an “Oxford City of Sanctuary” movement.

A group has been established to take this forward and we are now working to develop the membership and take the next step. To identify practical ways through which the citizens, faith communities, businesses, community groups, schools colleges and the two universities of Oxford can contribute in a practical way to meeting our aim.

To make a practical and positive difference to the lives of people who have come to us seeking sanctuary.

Early objectives we have identified are:

  • To expand the membership of the group to include representatives from local businesses, educational institutes, media outlets and community groups.
  • To develop a network of informed, motivated and committed citizens, including refugees and asylum seekers, community groups, faith communities and other organisations who will work together to overcome prejudice, provide hospitality, create opportunities for mutual learning and cultural exchange and support integration.

So far the principle ways we envisage doing this are through:

  • Information and education for the wider public through balanced presentation of the facts about refugees and asylum seekers using the media, education and faith venues and community networks.
  • Creating opportunities for shared learning between refugees and asylum seekers and the local community.

Oxford City Council Support Bid To Become City of Sanctuary

Submitted by Amy on Wed, 08/10/2008 - 20:52

Oxford City Council this week passed a motion to support Oxford in its bid to become a ‘City of Sanctuary.’

The motion, which was proposed by Cllr John Tanner of the Labour Party and seconded by Sushila Dhall of the Green Party, calls on Oxford City Council to practically support efforts to make Oxford a place of safety for people whose
lives have been threatened and to celebrate the contributions that asylum seekers and refugees make to society.

Cllr John Tanner, said: “I am very pleased that Oxford City Council has declared its support for the City of Sanctuary movement. We should remember the likes of Bobby Fryer, a Jewish refugee who was a Trade Union leader at the Cowley car plant and Professor Claus Moser, who was forced to leave Berlin in 1936.

“Where would we be without the valuable contributions that asylum seekers and refugees have made within our towns and cities and indeed within Oxford? We are delighted by the result of this motion and what it means for us as a city.”

The movement in Oxford has been started by a number of individuals who would like to build upon the work already being done by local organisations such as Refugee Resource and Asylum Welcome and by the momentum of interest created by the destitution sleep out earlier this year and by the Independent Asylum Commission’s review over the summer.

Amy Merone, a member of the working group in Oxford, said: “Oxford as an international city has always welcomed people from all over the world and we would like to see that welcome extended fully to people who have been forced to leave their home countries and seek sanctuary in the UK.

“We believe that City of Sanctuary is a way in which the people of Oxford can practically demonstrate their commitment to being a city of welcome and to the upholding of people’s human rights. There has never been a more important time as now for this with the presence of Campsfield Removal Centre and the proposed centre In Bicester.”

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