Event raises awareness of everyday borders

An evening of films and discussions exploring the hostile environment experienced by many migrants in the UK is being held at Northumbria University tomorrow (Wednesday 27 June).

The aim of the event is to raise awareness of the problems faced by people perceived as migrants when it comes to accessing healthcare, housing, education & employment.

Entitled, Hostile Environment: Resisting Everyday Borders, the event will incorporate clips from the film Everyday Borders, which was made in 2015 as part of the EUBorderscapes project. This will allow those attending to reflect on what the specific impacts of the hostile environment have been for particular groups since then.

The event has been organised by Vanessa Zappi-Taylor, Advice Support Volunteer at Refugee Action; and Northumbria PhD student Kahina Le Louvier, with contributions from Dr Kathryn Cassidy, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at Northumbria.

Vanessa said: “The aim of the event is to explore how a drive by the Government to create a really hostile environment for illegal migrants has instilled fear in our communities and forced us to take on the role of border guards in our everyday lives.

“We will discuss how people deemed to be ‘illegal’ are being denied their basic human rights and are facing exclusion and exploitation if they cannot prove their immigration status.

“Meanwhile, immigration enforcement encroaches further into our everyday lives, as information collected in public institutions such as schools is passed on to government bodies to help track, detain and deport families and individuals directly from our communities.”

The event will include contributions from people affected by everyday borders and include discussions around what can be done to oppose the hostile environment in future.

The event takes place from 6:30pm to 8pm tomorrow in Room 117, Newcastle Business School, Northumbria University City Campus East, NE2 1UY.

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