printed 20 June 2024
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A Fife congregation’s Refugee Pageant is marking Scotland with an perception into what life is like for these compelled to depart their house international locations due to warfare or disaster.
Fife: Forthview Parish Church in Dalgety Bay is internet hosting a sequence of occasions as a part of Refugee Pageant Scotland, together with a photographic exhibition by the Ukrainian group that has been assembly frequently on the church since arriving in Scotland two years in the past.
Along with the exhibition, which is able to run on the church all through the week, there can even be a “dialog” occasion on Thursday night in affiliation with Scottish Faiths Motion for Refugees and the Fife Worldwide Discussion board how the Fife group is supporting refugees. space, adopted by a peace service and dinner to mark the tip of Refugee Pageant Scotland Week.
Rev Andrea Fraser, a minister who presently works inside Forthview, mentioned the 14 Ukrainian households who meet frequently on the church have turn out to be part of the group.
“When warfare broke out in Ukraine, Dalgety Parish Church, because it was previously identified, opened its doorways to potential hosts, initially providing a spot to assist host households.
“When individuals began arriving from Ukraine, we once more provided a protected place to remain and meet. Our constructing was open to our youth group on Friday evenings, and welcoming households and younger individuals attending native main colleges appeared a pure addition. And Secondary faculty and provides them the chance to fulfill another younger individuals.
“It gave us a protected place to fulfill our Ukrainian associates and the place attainable, we may supply assist, corresponding to sensible assist filling in types or equipping them with clothes or private gadgets.”
Along with supporting Ukrainians of their communities, the church additionally collected gadgets for a hospital in Ukraine, with native Ukrainian teams serving to to type the donation and ensure it was labeled correctly.
Sharing pleasure and tears
The Forthview group has come throughout Ukraine and though they’ve moved from host households to their very own tenants, they name themselves the Dalgety Bay Women and proceed to benefit from the assist of the native church and a spot the place they’ll collect and meet.
“We shared of their pleasure and their tears,” Ms Fraser mentioned.
“We heard many tales about what life is like in Ukraine right now, in addition to the difficulties they confronted whereas residing in a distinct nation.”
This week’s photographic exhibition will allow them to share a few of these tales with the broader group It comprises images from earlier than and after the Russian invasion in February 2022, exhibiting the impression of the warfare on the individuals of Ukraine.
There can even be a mirrored image space with a peace cairn and maze, so native individuals can present their assist.
“We hope individuals will come, see and listen to the tales of Ukraine,” Ms Fraser commented.
“We’re so happy with our Ukrainian associates and the resilience they’ve proven. We’re heartbroken by the tales now we have heard and as a church we hope and encourage everybody to wish for peace in all areas of our world.
“We pray particularly this week for many who have been displaced or have restricted alternatives on account of warfare and violence in their very own international locations.”
Refugee Pageant Scotland, which runs till Sunday 23 June, is led by the Scottish Refugee Council and goals to have a good time those that have made Scotland their house and the wealth of artwork, tradition, tales and heritage our group has.
The photographic exhibition and reflection house shall be open to the general public till Friday from 10 am to 4 pm and shall be open once more on Thursday and Friday evenings from 6 pm to eight pm and in addition open on Saturday from 10 am to midday.
Thursday’s dialog occasion will begin at 7.30pm and Sunday’s peace service shall be at 3.30pm, adopted by a dinner with Ukrainian associates of the church from 4pm to 7pm. For extra data, contact workplace@dalgety-church.co.uk
Thursday 20 June is World Refugee Day, the date designated by the United Nations and its refugee committee, UNHCR, as a time to have a good time the power and braveness of individuals compelled to flee their house international locations to flee battle or persecution. Spotlight their wants, rights and hopes.
For extra data, go to the UNHCR web site.
