Late Night Exchange: World Refugee Day

This special Lates event marks World Refugee Day. Join us at The Exchange for talks, performances, films and drop-in activities to learn more about the experience of refugees, honour the contributions that refugees have made to their communities and advocate for the rights and protection of refugees worldwide.

Our varied and thought-provoking programme includes:

• a panel discussion chaired by Professor Nando Sigona, exploring the challenges that asylum seekers and refugees face today and the contributions they make to their communities. Panellists include Arten Llazari (Refugee Migrant Centre), Comfort Etim and Hana Leshaj (both Refugee Women Connect) and Abdul Wase Samim (lawyer and refugee). 
• stories of hope and home from individuals with lived experience who have sought sanctuary in Birmingham
• special live art performances inviting you to enter parts of The Exchange that are usually hidden. Participate in interventions directed by Dr Pablo Pakula and created by students from the University’s Drama and Theatre Arts department and members of Birmingham’s Iranian community with lived experience of displacement.
• a series of powerful films featuring testimony from survivors in Ukraine and Poland. Collectively titled Not a single safe place, these important films raise public awareness of gendered violence in conflict and displacement.
• an opportunity to join members of Shelanu: Women’s Craft Collective to make origami boats exploring the Refugee Week theme of compassion.

This event is presented as part of A Place to Call Home a new public programme of exhibitions, activities and events exploring what home means to all of us. Understand diverse experiences through the eyes of people who have lived through them and find out about the latest social justice research at the University of Birmingham.