Colleen Molloy, Communications Manager for City of Sanctuary UK, introduced the charity and discussed its aims, values, and goals before awarding the Libraries of Sanctuary certificate to the Kittiwake Trust Multilingual Library.
City of Sanctuary’s primary aim is to create a culture of welcome for people seeking sanctuary, in particular displaced people, through building relationships and finding ways of helping organisations and communities turn their empathy and desire to help into action. It achieves these aims through its values of participation (working with people seeking sanctuary, not for them), inclusiveness, inspiration, openness, and integrity (the full organisational aims and objectives, values, mission statement, and other information about the charity are available to read here).
As a focal point for the wider sanctuary movement, City of Sanctuary provides resources and networking opportunities to groups and organisations across multiple sectors (streams) including those outside the traditional refugee organisations, such as schools, shops, libraries, and even garden centres. They provide resource packs geared directly toward these different streams (the Libraries of Sanctuary resource pack can be downloaded here). It also works closely with local authorities, which are instrumental in supporting the sanctuary movement through practical action, campaign support, and through helping their schools become Schools of Sanctuary. After Thimblemill Library in Birmingham became the first Library of Sanctuary in the UK, the Sandwell Borough Council decided that all of the libraries in the borough should become Libraries of Sanctuary. There are currently over 120 local City of Sanctuary groups across the UK and Ireland including schools, universities, libraries and theatres.
Sanctuary Awards are celebrations of good practice. Ms. Malloy stressed that there is no inspection of premises or set benchmarks to be given an award. Organisations that apply must learn what it means to seek sanctuary and strive to raise awareness; they must embed the values of welcome and inclusion in their organisations; they must include people seeking sanctuary in activities and decision making – as per the organisational aim of working with people and not for them; and they must advertise the positive contributions those seeking sanctuary make to society.
Ms. Malloy ended by reminding us of how important it is to stand up for human rights in the face of the ‘hostile environment’ policies of the UK government. She stressed that the latest changes to the asylum system will make the process even more complex and difficult making it much harder for people to come to the UK and stay.
The second speaker was John Vincent, who wrote the Libraries of Sanctuary resource pack. He spoke powerfully of how more and more libraries are joining the sanctuary movement and how there are simple things libraries can do to demonstrate to the community that everyone is welcome. He gave a personal example from his own life – that as a gay man he looks around places he visits to see if his experience is reflected in the environment and is disappointed to find that often it isn’t, which makes him feel as though he’s in a space that doesn’t belong to him. Because of this he identifies with refugees who are not familiar with the systems in their new country. For examples of how libraries can take steps to make all people feel welcome, please see the resource pack, which includes pictures of signage in multiple languages, books from a diverse range of authors, and other useful materials.
Mr. Vincent told us that, unfortunately, he has noticed, in his 20 years of running training courses, that the library world can sometimes be an insular place. He said that he’s spoken with library staff who were not aware of the ‘hostile environment’ and were not aware that the UK government policy is to actively make people feel unwelcome. He said that libraries are uniquely placed to counter this and that the Thimblemill Library is an excellent example of how libraries can work to make people feel welcome (to read the Thimblemill Library of Sanctuary Case Study, click here).
After Mr. Vincent’s talk, Ms. Malloy gave a short speech awarding Library of Sanctuary status to the Kittiwake Trust Multilingual Library.
Amina Marix Evans accepted the award and then turned the floor over to Jola Olafimihan,who is both a member and trustee of the library. Ms. Olafimihan gave a moving speech about what the Kittiwake Trust Multilingual Library means to her. She started with some background of the library, which has over 1000 members and resources in more than 100 languages.
Ms. Olafimihan told us that when she first noticed the library, she was attracted by the paper cranes on display outside. She explained how the Kittiwake Trust Multilingual Library helped her while she dealt with the Home Office and her own poor health. Fortunately, her visa will not expire for another 2 ½ years, so she has a break from worrying about her immigrations status until it is time to renew. When Ms. Olafimihan joined the Kittiwake Trust Multilingual Library she met regularly with a group there to practice her English and meet other people seeking sanctuary. She talked of how the group cheered each other on while on the journey toward gaining asylum and permanent safety. To her, the Kittiwake Trust Multilingual Library is more than a place to borrow books. It is a place where she can be herself and find respite.
Ms. Olafimihan is excited to welcome back volunteers and visitors when the library is able to reopen. She specifically thanked the volunteers for their hard work and creativity and for “staying with us even when going through such a traumatic immigration system.” She told us that people seeking sanctuary live on £36 per week, sometimes for years, and are not allowed to work during the asylum process so there is huge value in volunteering opportunities at places like the Kittiwake Trust Multilingual Library, where sanctuary seekers can stay connected and feel valued by the community. Ms. Olafimihan ended her talk by reminding us that people seeking sanctuary bring us gifts in the form of time and expertise and that these gifts offer us ways to talk to people who fear refugees.
Ms. Marix Evans then told us that sadly, the Kittiwake Trust Multilingual Library itself is now seeking sanctuary as it has to vacate its current premises.
In the Q&A session, Ms. Malloy was asked a number of questions about City of Sanctuary and Libraries of Sanctuary.
Q: How do people hear about the work done by City of Sanctuary?
A: There are a variety of ways – word of mouth, online, celebratory parties in the park, they do feasts from Syria, etc. When the tragic photograph of Alan Kurdi, the drowned two-year-old boy found on a Turkish beach, was in the headlines they received an additional 5000 hits per day on their website.
Q: Do a lot of libraries apply to become Libraries of Sanctuary?
A: Yes. Newcastle Library has put in an application and that all of the libraries in Oldham are working together towards an award as are Greater Manchester Libraries. Southampton Library was awarded last year.
Q: How should libraries advertise their Library of Sanctuary status?
A: The best way to advertise is by sharing their status on websites, social media, etc. Libraries should also share their status directly with people seeking sanctuary and include them in decision making. Libraries should shout about their achievements and good practice.
Q: Does City of Sanctuary provided services for people seeking sanctuary due to natural disasters such as local flooding?
A: The idea of sanctuary is sanctuary for all. All must feel welcome for one to feel welcome. One of their maxims is to take sanctuary for yourself and not burn out.
This was a wonderful and informative talk. Thank you to Colleen Malloy, John Vincent, Amina Marix Evans, and Jola Olafimihan for sharing their experiences at City of Sanctuary and the Kittiwake Trust Multilingual Library. Congratulations to the Kittiwake Trust Multilingual Library on their well-deserved Libraries of Sanctuary Award.
The recording of the City of Sanctuary talk is available on the CILIP NE Youtube channel.
