Refugee Tales

In June 2015 the Refugee Tales project walked in solidarity with refugees, asylum seekers and immigration detainees, from Dover to Crawley along the North Downs Way. As the project walked it reclaimed the landscape of South East England for the language of welcome, gathering and communicating experiences of migration to show, in particular, what indefinite detention means.

From July 3 to July 8 2016, Refugee Tales walks again, starting in Canterbury, moving north to Gravesend and then along the Thames into central London, reflecting on the long and dangerous journeys that many refugees make fleeing war and persecution, seeking a safe place to live. At every stop of the way leading writers will help tell the tales of asylum seekers, refugees and detainees, as well as the stories of those who work with them.

The closing event of the walk takes place at the ICA on the evening of 8 July, and includes a presentation of the Refugee Tales collection, where poets and novelists retell the stories of individuals who have direct experience of Britain’s policy of indefinite immigration detention. 

Writers and poets Ali Smith, Patience Agbabi and David Herd read from the Refugee Tales publication, and the evening is concluded with a special performance by activist singer-songwriter Billy Bragg.