The 17th-23rd June was Refugee Week throughout the country and many events were held in Glasgow. One of these was in our own hall on Thursday 21st June. Many groups (Govanhill Youth Project, Hidden Gardens, Amina etc.) from the Govanhill Settlement and Integration Network (GSIN) were represented by setting up stalls with information for local people, refugees and asylum seekers alike. One contribution of particular interest to us was the banners displayed on the walls. These had been made by people who attend the Tuesday drop-in and were part of a project coordinated by Kate Tuck (a social work student on placement with Anna Griffiths at Crossroads Youth and Community Association) that looked at people’s roots and life stories. If you like, they are an artistic record of the great variety of backgrounds from which people in the Govanhill area come.
Around 180 attended the event and a big thanks must go to Anna, Kate and the team from Govanhill Free Church who helped with stewarding and catering on the night. Thanks also to GSIN for organising the event and to Amal and her friend Faizah who were guest speakers. Amal is one of the original seven ‘Glasgow Girls’ who have campaigned on asylum issues in Scotland.