Refugee Week 2024

June 2024
Images © Big Leaf Foundation
​In June, organisations nationwide came together to celebrate the contributions, creativity, and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. 

Refugee Week is a platform for people who have sought safety in the UK to share their experiences, perspectives, and creative work on their terms. The theme of Refugee Week 2024 was 'Our Home.' We hosted an art installation, ran community sports sessions, and spent a day cooking dishes that reminded young people of Home, which we shared with our community and partners. 

Art Installation with Ali Arkady

​Ali Arkady is a photojournalist, artist and filmmaker from Iraq. In 2017, Ali fled Iraq with his family when his life was threatened after photographing Iraqi armed forces committing war crimes. He sought refuge in Europe, where he was granted asylum.
 
His photographs of war crimes in Iraq were published worldwide by international media and put pressure on the Iraqi government to acknowledge the crimes committed by their soldiers. For this work, he won the prestigious Bayeux Prize for War Correspondents in 2017 and the Free Press Unlimited Most Resilient Journalist Award in 2019 for his exceptional courage and persistence. 

Ali's unique approach to printing onto stone began as a response to the physical weight he felt on his shoulders. He started working with heavy stones he found in a skip, printing his photos onto it. He described this process as a way of transferring the heaviness of his memories onto the stone.

Led by Ali, we ran a session where displaced young people printed images that reminded them of their homes onto pieces of stone. We showed these pieces in central Guildford throughout Refugee Week to overwhelmingly positive feedback.  

Community Sports

​Many of the young people we support have told us that they find Home through our sports activities. So, as part of our Refugee Week celebrations, we ran a community 7-aside football tournament sponsored by Surrey Sports Park and a community basketball match sponsored by Basketball4All. 

We had a brilliant turnout, with over 85 players and 20 spectators getting involved. Designed to encourage positive social contact and community cohesion, young people supported by Big Leaf played matches alongside the brilliant people from Surrey Fire and Rescue Service, Aristar Financial Consulting and young adults with disabilities.

The events provided an opportunity for displaced young people to interact with other players and organizations in Surrey. Several young people expressed their interest in pursuing a career with the fire service, and we are thrilled to announce that we will be visiting their Guildford HQ for a career taster session. It was a fantastic opportunity for diverse groups and individuals to meet that otherwise wouldn't.

With huge thanks to Guildford Philanthropy, Surrey Sports Park and Basketball4All. 

Cooking and Community Dinner 

​What better way to find 'Our Home' than by cooking and sharing dishes that mean something? 

Through our trips to Jamie's Farm, we've witnessed the power and joy of collective cooking. We've often heard from young people about their wishes to share their home-cooked meals with us and their deep nostalgia for the flavours of their homeland. 

We decided to make that happen by building a community cooking day. Alongside our fantastic volunteers and some of the brilliant Jamie's team, 13 exceptionally talented young people spent the afternoon planning, prepping, and cooking seven different dishes—all of which reminded them of home. We cooked Vietnamese Suon Nuong, Afghan Bolani with Kubali Pulao and Salad, Sudanese Dama, Ethiopian Injera and Doro Wat, Iranian rice with ground lamb and lentils, Spicy chicken pasta, and Nicaraguan Papusa.

After cooking, we decorated our venue to look like a 'Home.' The Big Leaf team and volunteers brought objects special to them, and we created a feeling of cosiness and community together. 

It was fantastic to see over 70 people, from Big Leaf young people and their guests to social and key workers, funders, and community partners, tucking into the delicious dishes, chatting, laughing, and making friends. The evening finished with beautiful music and spoken word performances, and everyone got stuck in to help us clean up. 

We always say that we are like a big family at Big Leaf, and this evening encapsulated that feeling. 

We want to thank Ash, Jess, Jessica, and the team from Jamies for coming to help. We could not have pulled it off without you. We also want to thank Atif Superstore and Boz's Fruit and Veg for donating all the wonderful ingredients.

Finally, we'd like to thank all the young people who volunteered their time to cook and organise this event. It was extraordinary to co-create this experience, and we're so grateful to you for sharing your food and culture with us.