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Refugee Week 2023 at Mayfield opened with ‘A Day of Welcome’ outside the Library. Students gathered at lunchtime to write messages of solidarity, support and welcome to the local community. Messages such as ‘Our country is your country’ and ‘You are welcome here’. For some students, it was a moment to realise that we have people who have experienced being refugees in our school, for others it helped them believe they were welcome and celebrated.

The Library’s main entrance was also decked up for the occasion with a “Welcome” banner and a dedicated display, which included a specially curated selection of books on the theme. We also hosted a film session from BBC called Seeking Refuge - Real life stories of young people fleeing their homelands, consisting of four animated stories giving a unique perspective into the lives of young people who have sought refuge in the UK, told by the children themselves. It was a heart-warming session, which helped pupils develop empathy for refugees’ forced journey, thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Each year group received an assembly focused on what it means to be a refugee in 2023. Students were able to ask questions, such as ‘What are the situations that make someone a refugee?’, ‘Which countries do most refugees come from?’ and ‘What can we do to support refugees in our local area?’. The profound poem "Home" by Warsan Shire, reminded us all of people’s journeys to find a safer land to live.

In the same vein, selected Year 10 students and all Year 12 students had the privilege of hearing a Year 13 student, Mursal Hakimi, and her mother, Parwin Wafa, speak about their experiences as refugees from Afghanistan. Their story was moving as they spoke about loss of family members, the challenges of coming to a country they didn’t know, the language barrier and the unwavering support they received from school and their new community. Moreover, Parwin shared her passion for girls’ education in Afghanistan and how she remains worried of what is happening now. She encouraged students to get involved in school life and to know they can make a difference. Mursal told her peers to not give up in the face of adversity “that if I can do it, you all can too”. One of the most beautiful moments was Parwin and our interpreter realising they were from the same village in Afghanistan and knew each other’s’ families. The world can seem very connected when we show care for others.

We all have been impacted by hearing Mursal’s story but the impact she and her mother have left on students was extremely profound. We have had over 70 applications to the new International Ambassadors role and the outcome of these applications will be revealed before the summer ends. We look forward to seeing what the selected group of students can achieve over the coming year to contribute to the welcome our students receive and the celebration of our multi-lingual, diverse community.