Cardiff Bay welcomes UNHCR’s A Great British Welcome exhibition, featuring local food truck run by refugees
Cardiff Bay welcomes UNHCR’s A Great British Welcome exhibition, featuring local food truck run by refugees
Global Eats allows refugees to share their food with the local community. Oasis, based in Cardiff, operate the food truck as well as running a welcome centre, running activities to help people to integrate. They are featured in A Great British Welcome.
A Great British Welcome, a powerful outdoor exhibition from UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency, will be showing in front of the Senedd building this autumn, launching on 1 October.
Featured in the exhibition is Oasis Cardiff, a vibrant community hub for refugees and asylum-seekers at the heart of the Splott community.
The exhibition tells the stories of individuals, organisations and communities across the UK that are welcoming people who have been forced to flee. It is produced by UNHCR and Panos Pictures, featuring striking portraits by the award-winning photographer Andrew Testa.
If you visit the bay this autumn, you will be inspired by its images and accounts of how refugees, asylum-seekers and host communities thrive together.
The portraits of Oasis Cardiff highlight Alis Cartagena’s story. From his arrival as a shy teenager to a new city, his experience as an asylum-seeker along with his siblings and parents, to his current position running Oasis’ food service.
Alis, refugee from Honduras and Oasis’ Food Service Manager who is photographed for the series, says:
“Oasis has been an essential part of my development as a member of this society in Cardiff. They have understood me and supported me when I needed it most, and now I can say I feel confident and empowered to face any challenge.”
Susie Ventris-Field, CEO of Oasis says:
"We are delighted to be part of this showcase of incredible individuals and organisations across the UK supporting refugees and asylum seekers. Oasis is privileged to work with so many great people and we are grateful to share these stories through the exhibition."
The exhibition is partly funded by the Welsh Government, who last year pledged to refresh Wales’ innovative Nation of Sanctuary vision at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva. This forum was the world’s largest gathering of states, civil society, private sector and refugees in over four years, and saw a range of important pledges to help solve the challenges of forced displacement.
In addition to the Cardiff portraits, UNHCR’s A Great British Welcome exhibition portrays a number of communities throughout the UK which have welcomed refugees - ranging from ‘Refugees Rock’, a monthly bouldering session in Liverpool’s Climbing Hangar that brings refugees and local climbers together, to a tight-knit community on the Isle of Bute in Scotland, where resettled Syrian refugee Wafa and her two sons have become an integral part of local life.
Vicky Tennant, UNHCR’s Representative to the UK, says:
“For refugees, integration means becoming part of the different communities that we all belong to – schools, workplaces, neighbourhoods, local clubs, networks and organisations. As we see in Alis and Oasis Cardiff’s story, welcoming refugees and making them part of our communities is enriching for everyone. But successful integration also requires government leadership - and the Welsh government’s vision of Wales as a ‘Nation of Sanctuary’ accompanied by a plan to realise that commitment, continues to set an important example within the UK and across Europe, as part of the global effort to help protect and find solutions for refugees.”
You can get to know the UK-wide initiatives and protagonists at the free outdoor exhibition, which will run from Tuesday 1 October to Wednesday 27 November in front of the Senedd building. The exhibition is part of an ongoing series by UNHCR documenting people across the UK welcoming people forced to flee. All stories, videos and a wider selection of photos are available on UNHCR’s website.
Photos from the series, including those of Oasis, are available for download at Refugees Media (free login required).
Listings
Tuesday 1 October to Wednesday 27 November
The Senedd, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff CF99 1SN
Free, open-air exhibition
ENDS
For more information, contact:
James Bulman, [email protected], +44 7775566127
Notes for Editors
About OASIS
Oasis is an independent charity that supports and welcomes asylum seekers & refugees in Cardiff. Their vision is to empower and equip people seeking sanctuary to integrate in their local community. They provide a range of provision including casework, Mind-Spring, free lunches, women's only sessions, English classes and up to 30 weekly activities. https://www.oasiscardiff.org/
About UNHCR
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, leads international action to protect people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. UNHCR delivers life-saving assistance like shelter, food and water, helps to safeguard fundamental human rights, and develops solutions that ensure people have a safe place to call home where they can build a better future. We also work to ensure that stateless people are granted a nationality. www.unhcr.org/uk
