The Simple Acts campaign was the focus of our media work for this year, which resulted in positive coverage in a small number of national print media, including articles in the independent, Times and the Guardian (which ran a related article every day of the week).
It is estimated that there were over 300 articles mentioning Refugee Week in local and regional media.
Selected press coverage and interaction from Refugee Week 2009
The former Python star has been learning a few words in another language from Musa Ibrahim, a refugee from Somalia
Paddington Bear shares a story especially for Refugee Week.
Through a story written by Michael Bond as part of the Simple Acts campaign, Paddington bear tells of his arrival in Britain and how a sticky paw can make the UK more welcoming for other refugees.
Read Paddington Bear’s Simple Act.
In partnership with Wordia.com and the Guardian’s Liberty Central, author Hari Kunzru comments that Freedom should mean much more than safety for Britain's refugees.
What do the following words mean to you?
refuge, liberty, freedom, detention, home, identity, community.
Wordia.com is an online visual dictionary which lets you define the words. We have created our own Refugee Week channel with words specific to Refugee Week.
Upload your own definition at www.wordia.com
The Norwich City of Refuge programme has celebrated Refugee Week 2009 with a series of films, talks and plays at the Writers' Centre. BBC Norfolk has picked up on this great initiative and featured one of the short films, ‘Letter to Europe’, on their website.
Shami Chakrabarti defines the word 'Refuge'
For Refugee Week, Liberty's Shami Chakrabarti has defined refuge and argues Britain can't turn its back on refugees. Yesterday Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder of the charity Kids Company, defined the word ‘Refuge’ and on Monday the
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams also defined the word as part of the Simple Acts campaign.
The Guardian online has run a photo feature on the Simple Acts campaign.
Check out this feature on how some big names have gotten behind Refugee Week and the Simple Acts campaign.
Celebrating Sanctuary in The Independent
The Celebrating Sanctuary festival 2009 was featured in the Arts section of Friday’s The Independent newspaper
More about the festival
Two excellent blogs have been written on Refuguee Week, the Simple Acts campaign, identity, home and the politcal climate post Euro elections.
Year 8 pupils from the Grango School in Wrexham have defined what refuge means to them.
The newly formed London City of Sanctuary group will be showing that refugees are important and valued citizens of the capital by unfurling a ‘Refugees Welcome Here’ banner at 50 iconic sites.
Teaming up with the British Red Cross, Dougray Scott has made a short film calling on people to show their support for refugees by changing their online status on social network sites such as Facebook.
Chris Cleave, author of 'The Other Hand', has written five pieces defining his understanding of refuge and asking us to question our own, one for each day of Refugee Week.
Regional coverage of Refugee Week
Guardian coverage of Refugee Week - a range of articles, interviews and short videos on this year's Refugee Week.
Newsnight Review - Friday 19 July, BBC2 11pm
Newsnight Review reviewed La Forteresse this Friday, which was presented by Refugee Action during Refugee Week at the British Film Institute on the South Bank in London, and at independent cinemas in Nottingham and Bristol.
'Refugees need more than tea and sympathy', Alison Benjamin, Opinion piece, The Guardian, 17 June
The Guardian online has run a photo feature on celebrity support behind the Simple Acts campaign.
'Britons urged to try a simple act of kindness', Independent on Sunday, 14 June
BRISTOL:
BBC Radio Bristol interview with Qerim Nuredini, Deputy Area Manager of Refugee Action Bristol, about the Simple Acts campaign and an event at the Town Hall in which councillors will meet refugees for a 'Tea with a refugee' event before watching Refugee Action's new film, Forced to Flee.
NOTTINGHAM:
Guardian/ Wordia
Throughout Refugee Week, well known public figures defined words such as refuge, liberty, freedom, detention, home, identity and community. These were produced by Wordia and broadcast on the Guardian website. Many other people have also uploaded their own videos for Refugee Week.
See www.wordia.com/Themes/3-Refugee-Week-2009
'Refugees: Nottingham is our new home', Nottingham Evening Post
In the last of a series looking at the lives of refugees in Nottingham, we discover how the city is providing a precious new home - and new hope.
www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/Refugees-Nottingham-new-home/article-1092405-detail/article.html
'Merry Hill shoppers send notes of support to refugees'. Stourbridge News
'Why I fled Zimbabwe for Nottingham', Nottingham Evening Post , Monday 15 June
'Simple Acts of kindness mark Refugee Week in Notts', Nottingham Evening Post, Saturday 13 June
DERBY:
'Spotlight on refugees as library brews up for event', This is Derby
LEICESTER:
BBC Radio Leicester interview with area manager Aidan Hallett about the Simple Acts Campaign and Refugee Week.
PLYMOUTH:
BBC Radio Devon interview with Jane Robinson, area manager in Plymouth, about events in Refugee Week and the Simple Acts campaign.
'PLYMOUTH will join the rest of the country in celebrating Refugee Week with an array of activities', This is Cornwall
