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Shaping Nations: Migration stories in Wales
Stories of migration have a proud place in Welsh history. From the arrival of Jewish refugees in the Second World War, to the resettlement of Syrian refugees, those seeking sanctuary in Wales have contributed to many aspects of Welsh society.
These communities have brought unique traditions, skills, and perspectives that have been woven into the broader cultural fabric of Wales. Music, food, the spoken and written words… Welsh culture today would be unrecognisable without migration.
“More than anything, I want to capture the interest and inspiration of the public to see themselves in Welsh poetry and encourage a much more open sense of what Welshness is.” Hanan Issa, National Poet of Wales
Shaping Nations
This project is made possible by our wonderful funders – the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Through their support we have an opportunity to celebrate our shared history. We’re encouraging people to tell their own stories to offer an alternative narrative to the victimisation of refugee identities. From Refugee Week to the National Eisteddfod, our team are engaging with people at cultural events across Wales to hear what migration means to us all.
Our project will be pan Wales, as we believe that our whole country has so much to gain from sharing migration stories. Sanctuary seekers can be sent to any area of Wales and we are here to help local communities to welcome them.
We have found that our communities have the answers. Through this two year project, we will collaborate with educators to produce materials to inform young people about the experiences of asylum seekers and refugees.
Where can you find us?
Find out about our latest events on our News page.
There are so many opportunities to engage in this exciting project which will bring us to collaborate with the Welsh Rugby Union, Literature Wales, the National Museum of Wales, schools, and grassroots organisations across the country.
We’re also excited to tour Wales with an art exhibition based on the theme of ‘What migration means to you’. Discover more about our work with visual artist Alix Edwards and where we’ll be heading with the artwork.
We believe that Wales can become the world’s first Nation of Sanctuary. Using our voice to offer an alternative to negative rhetoric that scapegoats the most vulnerable people in our country is a starting point on this path. We work with migrant communities to tell stories based on our shared past to help change our present and future for the better.