by Shan Huang The term ‘climate refugee’ may still be an unfamiliar concept for some, although we may occasionally see it in the media. It is clear that climate change can impact our security, economy and development, but can the terms ‘climate’ and ‘refugee’ link together as a concept? Is it just used by media to catch our eyes by combining two current topics? Do the people who are displaced by natural disasters really need the title ‘refugee’ to obtain necessary help from t

by Orson Gard Across the world, millions of people have been forced into a transitory existence. Not only must they face perilous journeys from their home countries to host states, but their struggle to escape persecution, conflict and famine, coupled with the bureaucratic nature of our asylum systems means that refugees often spend much of their lives in transit. At COLOURS, we recognise this and want to use our resources and expertise to provide a platform for refugees who

By Elana Wong Integration has become a buzzword, the focus of many government policies, NGOs and grassroots organisations. Most people seem to have some understanding of the term, and some offer to provide support and assistance for related issues, ranging from basic provisions such as clothes and food to language classes, therapy and affordable transport. For example our partners, Bikes for Refugees, provide bikes for refugees that are donated by local people and organisatio

By Noura Chalati Background to “New Scots: Refugee Integration Strategy 2018 to 2022” In January 2018, the Scottish Government published “New Scots: Refugee Integration Strategy 2018 to 2022”, a refugee integration strategy which sets out an approach to support the vision of a welcoming Scotland. This new strategy builds on the experience and developments of the previous three-year strategy from 2014-2017, and determines the integration process of and support for refugee comm

By Orson Gard Since 2015, hundreds of thousands of refugees have sought asylum in Europe. Fleeing devastating wars, the so-called ‘European refugee crisis’ has been widely reported in our media, yet not for the right reasons. Media outlets have framed this phenomenon as a uniquely ‘European’ crisis, neglecting the suffering of those who are in need of immediate humanitarian assistance. Also, by selectively choosing what to report, media outlets have focussed almost exclusivel

by Abi Greatrex In 2016, the UNHCR deemed the Syrian refugee crisis the largest humanitarian disaster in recent history. Three years on, and the mass furore this ensued has waned: mainstream media has once again turned insular, with public outrage driven to the side-lines as political squabbles and Brexit dominate headlines. But outside of this bubble, the crisis has not abated. The conflict in Syria continues, with the UN recently reporting that around 140,000 people have be

By Camille Sonderegger Niger, a landlocked country situated in the middle of the Sahara, which shares borders with 7 countries, has for decades been a staging point for migrants risking everything to make it to Libya, cross the Mediterranean, to eventually reach Europe. More specifically the city of Agadez, situated at the heart of Niger has for centuries been the gateway into the Sahara, representing a crucial hub for commercial trade and human migration between West and Nor

By Shan Huang Imagining a life as a Sudanese refugee in Egypt, living in overcrowded and unhygienic conditions in a foreign country and facing discrimination against one’s race and nationality from the local government and people, is very hard, but part of daily life for so many. Even though most refugees just want to lead a peaceful life away from domestic wars and conflicts which still happen in their homeland, the insufficient access to education, health services,jobs and

By Noura Chalati A media scene, overwhelmed by  stereotypes and negative connotations regarding refugees and migrants who allegedly lack integration into the societies of their host countries, requires that positive stories of successful co-existence be told. This is especially true as much of the information surrounding  refugees’ journeys, aspirations, hopes, and challenges barely scratches the surface of reality. By sharing the stories that illustrate how humanity connects

Panel Discussion Overview | February 2019 COLOURS Of Edinburgh's inaugural Panel Discussion, this year on the Representation of Refugees in the media, saw massive success with over 250 people turning up and a wealth of thought leaders guiding the analysis! Our brilliant panelists discussed the representation of refugees in the media in the 21st century, and how to accurately portray their stories moving forward. The discussion touched upon an array of topics, including how re

I am writing this piece as a proud second-generation Yemeni-American who is educating herself on the current humanitarian crisis in Yemen and attempting to spread awareness and take action. I have not always been so aware of Yemen’s history and culture and in fact, had to often point out where Yemen was on the map to my neighbours and classmates, but I am now completing the second year of my Master’s in Middle Eastern International Relations and could not be more inspired to

In times of the emergence of many large scale humanitarian emergencies, the situation of the Sahrawi refugees in South West Algeria has become increasingly forgotten by the international community. As one of the most protracted refugee situations in the world, Sahrawi refugees represent one of the oldest refugee groups in the world but receive insufficient international aid despite significant humanitarian needs. Most of the Sahrawis fled their homes in 1975 as the conflict i

by Jenny Dunn Amal Azzudin is the daughter of Somalian refugees, who had come to Britain to escape civil war. Her passion for human rights and social justice began in 2005 when the family of Agnesa Murselaj, a fellow 15 year-old pupil at Drumchapel High School in Glasgow, were dawn-raided and detained by the UK Border Force. Amal, along with six other school girls, campaigned against dawn raids, and the detention and deportation of asylum seekers. The Glasgow Girls lobbied so

by Elana Wong Syrian artist Nihad Al Turk, our guest artist for ‘Through the Eyes of Scotland’s Refugees’, has been in Scotland for nearly 3 years. Born in Aleppo, Nihad is Syrian Kurd refugee himself who arrived in Edinburgh in 2015, leaving Syria first to Lebanon before coming here with his wife after he was arrested a number of times for opposing Assad’s regime. A self-taught artist, he has exhibited in Beirut, Damascus, New York, Dubai, London, Venice and other internatio

by Sarah McCallum English-language teaching for migrants and refugees in the UK falls within two categories: work with adults it is known as English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), whereas the teaching of young people in school settings is generally referred to as English as an Additional Language (EAL). The ESOL programme focuses on the development of four language skills; reading, writing, speaking and listening. It also provides participants with an introduction to

We're betting you can't wait much longer until our exhibit. Neither can we! Here's what you need to know: Time: 17:00 - 22:00 Location: Fireside, Edinburgh @ the corner of Cranston Street and East Market Street, Edinburgh EH8 8BE, UK Cost: Free, but donations are recommended and appreciated. We are working with Bikes for Refugees and the Refugee Survival Trust, two Edinburgh based charities. Who we are: COLOURS - A student led project driven to engage with the immigrant commu

by Yasmin Tuerner Now that there has been a decline in the number of new refugees entering the UK, it is important to understand the position that British law and policies have towards these people in need. I will try to summarise the asylum system as briefly as possible, as it is very complex and strictly controlled (Refugee Council, 2017). The House of Commons continues to encourage refugees to take dangerous journey to Europe to reach safety. Asylum policies are mainly the

by Pinar Aksu People move for various reasons. Some want to start a new life, some have no other choice but to move. Then once they move, they are given different labels: asylum seeker, refugee, illegal, migrant- however none are called or treated as human beings. People claim asylum in the UK, to be protected and to become a refugee. To have human rights. However, if the application is refused then they will be sent back to their country of origin. That is when detention is

by Noor Hewaidi The Crossing (2015) is a documentary that follows the challenges that a group of Syrian refugees face in leaving behind war zones but continuing to endure different struggles. One of the families whose story struck me was Afaf and Mustafa, a mother and son that made the journey from Egypt to Sweden together and faced dynamic difficulties in their resettlement processes. In following this family’s journey, I noticed an interesting experience of “transnationalis

by Jenny Dunn, ed. Elana Wong Nadia, a Yazidi woman from Iraq, witnessed violent extremist behaviour in her country before fleeing Iraq, 4 months pregnant, with her young children. At 9 months, she travelled on a boat to Greece. She lost her unborn child, likely from malnutrition and stress. Upon arrival, her baby was removed by caesarean section, and immediately taken away and buried in a mass grave (Women for Refugee Women). Her story is an example of just one of many risks