The South London Tamil Welfare Group & Merton Asylum Welcome in association with London Borough of Merton are pleased to announce that they will be holding an evening of music, dance and food as part of National Refugee Week 2003, on Saturday 21st June 2003, 6pm -9.30pm, at Merton Hall, 76 Kingston Road, Wimbledon.

The South London Tamil Welfare Group offers advice and support for the Tamil community, especially refugees and asylum seekers, and provides activities for the elderly and youth including cultural events. Merton Asylum Welcome provides information, advice, practical help and emotional support to asylum seekers and refugees in Merton. The event has been made possible by funding from the Merton Arts Development Fund, the Refugee Council and the South London Tamil Welfare Group.

The purpose of Refugee Week is to deliver positive messages that counter fear, ignorance and negative stereotypes of refugees. Arts, cultural and educational events are held that celebrate diverse cultures, the contribution of refugees and promote understanding about the reasons why people seek sanctuary.

The aims of the ‘Celebrate Sanctuary in Merton’ event are:

· To celebrate the sanctuary asylum seekers and refugees can find in Merton
· To increase the awareness and understanding of the real plight of refugees and asylum seekers in Merton
· To celebrate the contribution that refugees make and have made to Merton’s social, cultural and economic heritage
· To celebrate the creative talents and cultural influences of Merton based refugee artists

Everybody is welcome. Entrance is free, however, we would ask people to come early to avoid disappointment, as seating is limited.

For more information contact Viv Philpot at Merton Arts Development on 020 8545 3571

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