Tchai Ovna supports friendship festival

On Sunday, 11th October, I attended an evening of music and poetry at Tchai Ovna on Otago Lane, as part of the Festival of Friendship. In recent months, Glasgow's citizens have demonstrated compassion towards the unprecedented number of people fleeing war and persecution. The Festival of Friendship provided a fantastic opportunity for people concerned about the refugee crisis to meet up and give their support to charities providing aid. Donations were gathered for Scottish Action for Refugees.

Scottish Green Party's Conference on 10th October agreed this emergency motion;

"We strongly condemn Theresa May's proposals to tamper with the Refugee Convention. We urge the EU and the UK Government to:

• Resettle a greater number of refugees;
• Abandon policies that prevent safe and legal access to protection; 
• Create more safe and legal routes to protection;
• Abandon the 'Dublin system' and participate in more humane and effective responsibility-sharing mechanisms that respect the dignity, autonomy, and human rights of asylum-seekers; and
• Resolve the situation in Calais allowing a proportionate share of those who are trapped in Calais to access the UK."

There is an urgent need for the EU to open safe and legal channels for people who seek refuge in the EU by committing to robust resettlement schemes, issuing humanitarian visas, and providing swift family reunification.

Useful link:

Scottish Action for Refugees - http://www.scottishactionforrefugees.co.uk/

Scottish Refugee Council http://www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/news_and_events/news/2787_with_winter_approaching_ecre_urgently_calls_on_europe_to_act