Reflecting on Refugee Week 2013
Refugee Week has been and gone for another year. Celebrating the contributions of refugee's in the UK and across the world, Refugee Week also aims to highlight the precarious position which refugees and asylum seekers face everyday. Stories are often conflated and marred by inaccurate press coverage, creating a bad name for those who are seeking sanctuary from war and violence. One of the most rewarding elements of Refugee Week as a whole is the chance to challenge the unfounded beliefs that refugees and asylum seekers are scroungers. This year HOST attempted to diminish the perception of this often stigmatised group through opening a Human Library for one day only. The idea of a human library started in Denmark in 1993 to challenge people's prejudice by raising awareness through peer group education, to mobilise people against violence. Just like a real library, the only difference at a human library is the books are people who share their stories with others. The Refuge