Ukrainian opera singer helps launch Refugee Festival Scotland
A Ukrainian opera singer is among the performers launching Refugee Festival Scotland – a unique celebration of refugee arts and culture coming to towns and cities across the country.
Article Source: Refugee Festival Scotland
Last Updated: 15 June 2022 13:31
Image: left to right - Khaled Qasem, Abdourahmane Mbengue, Oksana Mavrodii, Fatou Gitteh and Shawki AlDubiee - credit Paul Chappells
In a year that’s seen a record 100 million people forced from their homes by conflict, the festival brings people from different backgrounds together and highlights the many ways refugees contribute to life in Scotland.
More than 100 events will take place across Scotland from 17-26 June as part of Refugee Festival Scotland. The diverse programme includes contributions from artists and performers who came to Scotland seeking refugee protection and the communities that have welcomed them.
Oksana Mavrodii, a soprano singer and Deputy Conductor of the Glasgow Male Philharmonic Choir, has organised fundraising concerts to support people affected by the war in her native Ukraine. She is working with Scottish Refugee Council and communities in Scotland to help welcome refugees fleeing the conflict.
She said: “When I heard about Refugee Festival Scotland, I wanted to get involved. During the hard times, it’s important to stand up and use your voice. Being a musician, music is the best way for me to do that and the festival is a really great platform.
“Being a refugee or asylum seeker can be perceived negatively but we should not treat refugees as a burden. Just because someone is a refugee, it doesn’t mean that they don’t have skills to bring. People are often highly skilled and highly educated and they could make a really valuable contribution to society.”
“I’ve worked with a lot of children who have come to Scotland as refugees from Syria and other places. Now many Ukrainians have become part of the refugee community. My mum is here with me but my dad and all the rest of my family are still in Ukraine. It’s surreal. I don’t think anyone expects to find themselves in that situation. The response from people in Scotland has been amazing though. You don’t need to ask twice. It’s been positively overwhelming.”
Oksana will be performing at a special Refugee Festival Scotland event alongside concert pianist Iryna Melnychenko, who recently arrived in Glasgow from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The pair will be joined by T2 actor, Thierry Mabonga.
Thierry said: “I’m really happy that Refugee Festival Scotland exists. It’s very important that there’s a space for people to share stories that might not otherwise get told. I really believe in the power of storytelling. There’s more to a human being than trauma. We need to see the joys as well as the grief and the conflicts and the challenges of someone’s situation. I think that’s what keeps us alive. We long for stories that make us laugh and smile as well as make us cry.”
Thierry came to Scotland when he was just eight years old after fleeing the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo with his family.
He added: “I arrived not speaking a word of English, so I can understand the struggles of having to move country and start again. You’re not in control of where you come from but you are in control of how you respond to that. Being part of two cultures can be complex but it’s made me into the person I am today.”
Refugee Festival Scotland has something for everyone, from music and dance, history trails and nature walks to art exhibitions, cookery demonstrations, football tournaments and family-friendly picnics. The line-up brings people from different backgrounds and cultures together to meet, mix and get to know each other better.
Scottish Refugee Council Chief Executive, Sabir Zazai said: “Refugee Festival Scotland is an opportunity to celebrate the positive difference that refugees make to our communities. Now, more than ever, it’s important for us to celebrate diversity and share the stories of people who have made Scotland their home.
“This has been a year of terrible stories. War in Ukraine, unrest in Afghanistan, families stranded and separated by bureaucracy, Rwandan detention centres and people left with no option but to risk their lives on dangerous journeys in a desperate bid to reach a place of safety. But there are other, happier stories, and these are the ones that Refugee Festival Scotland aims to tell. Stories of friendship, resilience, hope and new beginnings. So please join us for this exciting programme of events, make new friends, have fun, and show the world that Scotland welcomes refugees.”
The festival celebrates the many ways refugees contribute to Scotland’s cultural life by showcasing the food and drink, music and dance, language and art that people bring with them when they settle in Scotland.
Refugee Festival Scotland is produced by Scottish Refugee Council. Details of the 2022 festival programme are now online at refugeefestivalscotland.co.uk
Sponsored Links
Latest Fife News
A chance to play in charity pro am golf tournament with some Scottish PGA professionals
Scotscraig Golf Club is “teeing” up a charity pro-am tournament for The Archie Foundation, that will give golfers the chance to play alongside the country’s leading professional golfers.
READ MORE
SAY Award opens submissions for eligible albums
Scotland’s national music prize – the Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award – has opened submissions for 2025’s £20,000 prize.
READ MORE
Great value summer holiday activities at Dobbies Garden Centres
This summer, gather the whole family and head to Dobbies Garden Centres for a day of fun-filled activities that will keep costs down.
READ MORE
FREE family festival at Loch Lomond Shores returns on 5th and 6th July
Summerfest, the FREE family festival at Loch Lomond Shores, is back on the 5th and 6th of July with lots of things to see and do!
READ MORE
New work premiering at the East Neuk Festival
This year, to celebrate its landmark 20th anniversary, the East Neuk Festival has commissioned four new pieces of work which will premiere this week.
READ MORE
Sixty artists open their studios to public for Largo Arts Week
Sixty artists open their studios to public as summer festival kicks off in Fife’s “Robinson Crusoe” village of Lower Largo.
READ MORE
Earlybird tickets drive buzz for 2026 Scottish Caravan, Motorhome & Holiday Home Show
The biggest show of its kind in Scotland returns with Earlybird tickets and a give-away with headline sponsor Border Caravans!
READ MORE
July events at Dobbies Garden Centres
Check out July at Dobbies with it's Little Seedlings Club on rainforests and Grow How on pest control and healthy gardens!
READ MORE
Historic Environment Scotland calls for public stories for national wellbeing exhibition
Historic Environment Scotland is calling for people across the country to connect with heritage to boost their wellbeing as a part of a national campaign, Historic Places, Breathing Spaces.
READ MORE
Scottish Bar and Pub Awards 2025 adds two new categories and voting deadline extended!
Scotland's hospitality industry and customers have spoken, and the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards 2025 has listened!
READ MORE
25th year of Refugee Festival Scotland gets underway
Refugee Festival Scotland gets underway today, kick-starting nine days of dance performances, film screenings, visual art and photography exhibitions and community events across the country.
READ MORE
Exclusive Superman screening at Vue venues in Scotland
Tickets are on sale for an exclusive Superman screening at Vue venues in Scotland, with fans in for an extra special treat to take home.
READ MORE
Acclaimed debut Only Here, Only Now from Tom Newlands chosen as Waterstones Book of the Month in Scotland
The paperback edition of Only Here, Only Now by Tom Newlands has just been released - and is already making waves.
READ MORE
Funding Boost for Charities at Scottish Building Society AGM
Scottish Building Society marked its Annual General Meeting (AGM) by announcing funding to support eight local charities and good causes across the country.
READ MORE
Classic car enthusiasts set to visit Loch Lomond Shores
Visitors are invited to come along and get up-close to some amazing cars, set against the beautiful backdrop of Loch Lomond, as part of a great day out.
READ MORE
Paws, play and heritage on parade
Bark by popular demand, the Gordon Setter Parade returns on Saturday 5th July as part of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) Scottish Game Fair, held at the stunning Scone Palace.
READ MORE
Dobbies hosts brand new Fairy Garden Tea Party
Dobbies Garden Centres are inviting families across the UK along to its stores on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th of June to spend a magical afternoon filled with fun activities and good food.
READ MORE
Jazz artist Euan Stevenson to close eclectic weekend of live gigs at East Neuk Festival
Scottish pianist, composer and arranger Euan Stevenson returns to East Neuk Festival next month for an afternoon performance of jazz classics.
READ MORE
How to train your Dad in 4DX Cineworld enlists Gerard Butler
Cineworld is launching a brand new 4DX Father's Day gift experience, containing two 4DX tickets and ponchos, perfect for experiencing the new live-action "How to Train Your Dragon" film.
READ MORE
Summer of Roses: Free gardening workshop at Dobbies
Dobbies Garden Centres is hosting a free Rose-themed Grow How workshop this June, sharing top tips for caring for this beloved flowering plant.
READ MORE
Cheers to 30 years: Scottish Bar and Pub Awards celebrate with public voting now open
Scotland's longest-running hospitality awards turn 30 - and they want you to have your say!
READ MORE
Loch Lomond Unplugged is coming this weekend!
Loch Lomond Unplugged, our FREE showcase of talented buskers and singer/songwriters, is this weekend and we’re super excited to welcome great acts from across Scotland and beyond!
READ MORE
Dig into summer fun at Dobbies
Dobbies Garden Centres is inviting children to come along to its free-to-attend Little Seedlings Club, taking place across the country this June.
READ MORE
Aldi to gift year supply of free beer to biggest beer lover in Scotland
Aldi Scotland is on the hunt for the nation's biggest beer lover, as it revamps its popular Best Home Bar Competition by expanding the criteria.
READ MORE
Milestone year for Refugee Festival Scotland
Refugee Festival Scotland has officially unveiled the programme for its highly anticipated 2025 edition, running from 13 – 22 June.
READ MORE
Vue to host marvellous superhero season welcoming classic X Men films back to the big screen for 25th anniversary
Film fans, families and comic book enthusiasts are invited to rediscover the original big screen superhero team as a series of classic X-Men films return to the big screen at Vue this month.
READ MORE
Kids Fly FareFREE on new Loganair routes
Families can take advantage of Loganair's new Kids Fly Fare-FREE offer, allowing children aged 11 and under to travel without paying an airfare.
READ MORE
Lorraine Kelly meets the Loch Ness Monster Milker delivering Nessie Nectar across the UK
IRN-BRU XTRA has launched a custom milk float delivery service bringing limited-edition Nessie Nectar straight from the shores of Loch Ness to doors across the UK.
READ MORE
Safety and family time driving surge in adult swim lessons
Scottish adults are being encouraged to learn to swim this summer to boost water safety skills for the whole family.
READ MORE
Dobbies announces community winners for 2025 national gardening campaign
Dobbies’ Dunfermline store selected Crossgate Primary School to receive donations and support as part of Dobbies Community Gardens.
READ MORESponsored Links
Sponsored Links