Locals prepare as Refugee Week approaches

SURF Coast Rural Australians for Refugees (SCRAR) is marking Refugee Week differently this year, with lockdown restrictions prohibiting large gatherings.

Running from Sunday, June 14 to June 20, Refugee Week is an Australia-wide movement to raise awareness about the issues affecting refugees while also celebrating their contribution to Australian society.

The week has been held annually since 1986, but 2020 will be the first time it has been run virtually.

Through their website, Refugee Week and their partners will be presenting a range of different online events including stories, videos, forums, poems and songs of refugees throughout the week.

SCRAR will not be gathering in large groups as they normally would, but will still be aiming to use the week to make people aware of the problems refugees are facing.

Along with Torquay Community House, SCRAR will be sharing the Refugee Week online events and asking others to do the same.

On June 20 – World Refugee Day – SCRAR and Torquay Community House will be encouraging people to place “Justice for Refugees” stickers and signs on their car, letterbox or fence to show solidarity with those seeking asylum or in detention centres.

People can make the signs themselves or download them.

Torquay Community House co-ordinator and SCRAR member Laura Connor said coronavirus had made them adapt their approach to the week.

“We’ll probably keep a lot more things online now because even with restrictions easing it’s very difficult to get a decent amount of people into a hall or a room.

“The online option is the way to go. A lot of people too, whether it’s for disability or whatever reasons, can’t get out, the online option is terrific.”

Refugee Week has similarly focused on the greater accessibility offered by the digital transition, with the 2020 theme being “The Year of Welcome”.

Ms Connor said the nation would benefit from a more sympathetic approach to refugees.

“If we could see more compassionate policies for refugees, I think that would make Australia a fairer place.”

People looking to stay up to date with the different activities during Refugee Week can head to the SCRAR and Torquay Community House Facebook pages or refugeeweek.org.au.