City of Sanctuary

 Guest speakers Will Sutcliffe and William Musafiri gave us a powerful insight into the situation of refugees and asylum seekers living in the UK.  Their organisation 'City of Sanctuary' promotes the creation of safe and welcoming environments for refugees and asylum seekers and celebrates the contribution that they make towards the cultural life of our cities and communities.  Bradford is already one of just three cities in the UK to be awarded City of Sanctuary status by the national organisation.

Speaking from personal experience, William, who was forced to flee the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2002, highlighted some of the terrible situations that many refugees have left behind.  Often fleeing their homelands with little more than the shirts on their backs, under threat of unlawful imprisonment, torture or worse, asylum seekers arrive in sympathetic countries only to face a long and bureaucratic process to gain refugee status and the right to work or study in their adopted country.

 Will made an appeal for organisations and businesses to adopt a 'Resolution of Support' for City of Sanctuary