Bristol City of Sanctuary are pleased to announce an upcoming national conference to end the destitution of asylum seekers on:March 6th 2015.
This conference will be the first national conference between local authorities and the refugee & voluntary sector to focus on the scandal of asylum destitution. It is being arranged to take forward the commitments made by a growing number of local councils to bring the policy of enforced destitution to an end. The conference is being sponsored by Bristol City Council and will be opened by the Mayor of Bristol, George Ferguson. We will hear from a range of speakers, including those who have experienced destitution. There will also be a series of workshops, creating a space for people from around the country to share examples of good practice with the aim of learning from each other and working to end asylum destitution in the UK.
The purpose of the Bristol conference is threefold:
• to hear clearly and publicly the voice of those who are currently experiencing destitution,
• to share the many different initiatives taking place around the country (both in the voluntary sector and by councils themselves) to alleviate the government’s policy of enforcing destitution
• to take this nationwide concern to the next level by making a joint commitment both to act locally and to press MPs to work in parliament towards a change in law and policy.
The conference will be held at At-Bristol, an exciting venue in Bristol City Centre. For directions please email us at [email protected]
The conference will begin at 10:30 and will run through the day until 4pm. You are then invited to join us for the planting of a City of Sanctuary tree on nearby College Green at 4:15pm.
To register please email us at [email protected] and tell us your name, organisation (if applicable) and any dietary requirements you have.
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