College event celebrates resilience of refugees

Derby College Group has marked Refugee Week with a major celebration, which was attended by more than 1,000 people.

The event, which took place last month, was held at the college’s Roundhouse campus.

Activities included a masterclass in bhangra dancing led by Surtal Arts, traditional drumming, mehndi painting, exotic and delicious food from across the globe, an art exhibition, and opportunities for students to learn about other cultures and try new experiences.

The event also celebrated the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary.

The Lexis and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Academy alongside the Joseph Wright College’s Art and Design students worked in collaboration to raise awareness for Refugee Week.

Lexis is a full-time programme for 16 to 19-year-old learners whose first language is not English.

The Lexis students also wrote stories based on their experiences of coming to the UK, which were illustrated by the Art and Design students. This allowed refugees to share their own personal stories with those attending.

The overall objective of Lexis is to help learners improve their English and gain qualifications to enable them to progress into further education or employment.

Organisations who provide continuing support to the Lexis students includes Derby Book Festival, Upbeat Communities, Rolls-Royce, Derby Museums and Moorways Sports Village, which is owned by Derby City Council.

Jennifer Rehman, the college’s assistant principle for community education, said: “This event really highlighted how through much adversity our refugees have shown great determination to succeed.

“Despite many of our refugees going through incredibly difficult times, they remain positive and show great resilience.”