Teenagers’ portrait of the world for refugees

AN ONLINE exhibition has been launched showcasing teenage refugees and asylum seekers in Yorkshire to celebrate World Refugee Week.

The Bradford Arts Trail exhibition This is Me highlights videos created by pupils from four different schools across the city, each showcasing an eclectic range of objects, from ceremonial tribal masks and football shirts to handbags.

Students from Bradford Academy, Holy Family Keighley, St Bede’s and St Joseph’s Catholic College and Oasis Academy, Lister Park took part.

Project lead Dr Karen Thornton, from the University of Bradford, said all of the objects included had meaning and a “story behind them,” for those involved.

This included make-up, which for that particular pupil, was not accessible in their home country.

She said: “The point of the exhibition was to examine identity and also to challenge stereotypes of refugees and asylum seekers.

“Quite often, this group is portrayed in a negative way in the media.

“What we wanted to do was to show that these are ordinary 14 and 15-year-olds with varying passions and interests, just like any teenager.”

She added it was important for students to engage with the university for the project.

“Each of the schools visited our campus, so it was about getting them to see university life as something they could aspire to.”

The display is part of an arts trail launched this week as part of the World Refugee Week campaign. It would have been unveiled on World Refugee Day this Saturday, at Theatre In The Mill city centre venue, but due to the coronavirus outbreak, it has moved online.

Dr Thornton said: “We’re very proud of the exhibition and we didn’t want the work of this incredibly enthusiastic group to go unrecognised because of the coronavirus outbreak.”