1. Seeking refuge in Europe
In this workshop, attendees explored what borders mean within the context of contemporary Europe. They discussed how borders impact the movement of those seeking refuge in countries such as Italy and Greece, and what policies hinder or help the ability to start new lives in Europe. This workshop was led by Dr Torsten Moritz.
2. Seeking refuge locally
In this workshop attendees heard about the work of the Birmingham-based, Stories of Hope and Home project, which offers asylum seekers and refugees a space to share their stories, and others a space to hear them. The workshop included first-hand accounts from those who have had to cross borders to live in this country, and attendees heard how the many challenges of starting a new life continue while being resident in these islands.
3. The Bible and borders
In this workshop attendees explored the Old Testament Book of Ruth, and discussed how it can be seen as an allegory for sanctuary, borders and identity. They discovered what lessons can be learnt from those scripture passages, and how they can be applied to modern contexts. This session was led by Jonny Clark, from the Corrymeela community.
4. Sanctuary in the context of borders
In this workshop attendees found out more about the work of the Church of Sanctuary project, and discussed what hospitality and sanctuary means within a British and Irish context, in which regional and national borders are becoming increasingly important. This workshop was led by Revd Dr Inderjit Bhogal.
