Ukrainian opera singer helps launch Refugee Festival Scotland
A Ukrainian opera singer is among the performers launching Refugee Festival Scotland – a unique celebration of refugee arts and culture coming to towns and cities across the country.
Article Source: Refugee Festival Scotland
Last Updated: 15 June 2022 13:31
Image: left to right - Khaled Qasem, Abdourahmane Mbengue, Oksana Mavrodii, Fatou Gitteh and Shawki AlDubiee - credit Paul Chappells
In a year that’s seen a record 100 million people forced from their homes by conflict, the festival brings people from different backgrounds together and highlights the many ways refugees contribute to life in Scotland.
More than 100 events will take place across Scotland from 17-26 June as part of Refugee Festival Scotland. The diverse programme includes contributions from artists and performers who came to Scotland seeking refugee protection and the communities that have welcomed them.
Oksana Mavrodii, a soprano singer and Deputy Conductor of the Glasgow Male Philharmonic Choir, has organised fundraising concerts to support people affected by the war in her native Ukraine. She is working with Scottish Refugee Council and communities in Scotland to help welcome refugees fleeing the conflict.
She said: “When I heard about Refugee Festival Scotland, I wanted to get involved. During the hard times, it’s important to stand up and use your voice. Being a musician, music is the best way for me to do that and the festival is a really great platform.
“Being a refugee or asylum seeker can be perceived negatively but we should not treat refugees as a burden. Just because someone is a refugee, it doesn’t mean that they don’t have skills to bring. People are often highly skilled and highly educated and they could make a really valuable contribution to society.”
“I’ve worked with a lot of children who have come to Scotland as refugees from Syria and other places. Now many Ukrainians have become part of the refugee community. My mum is here with me but my dad and all the rest of my family are still in Ukraine. It’s surreal. I don’t think anyone expects to find themselves in that situation. The response from people in Scotland has been amazing though. You don’t need to ask twice. It’s been positively overwhelming.”
Oksana will be performing at a special Refugee Festival Scotland event alongside concert pianist Iryna Melnychenko, who recently arrived in Glasgow from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The pair will be joined by T2 actor, Thierry Mabonga.
Thierry said: “I’m really happy that Refugee Festival Scotland exists. It’s very important that there’s a space for people to share stories that might not otherwise get told. I really believe in the power of storytelling. There’s more to a human being than trauma. We need to see the joys as well as the grief and the conflicts and the challenges of someone’s situation. I think that’s what keeps us alive. We long for stories that make us laugh and smile as well as make us cry.”
Thierry came to Scotland when he was just eight years old after fleeing the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo with his family.
He added: “I arrived not speaking a word of English, so I can understand the struggles of having to move country and start again. You’re not in control of where you come from but you are in control of how you respond to that. Being part of two cultures can be complex but it’s made me into the person I am today.”
Refugee Festival Scotland has something for everyone, from music and dance, history trails and nature walks to art exhibitions, cookery demonstrations, football tournaments and family-friendly picnics. The line-up brings people from different backgrounds and cultures together to meet, mix and get to know each other better.
Scottish Refugee Council Chief Executive, Sabir Zazai said: “Refugee Festival Scotland is an opportunity to celebrate the positive difference that refugees make to our communities. Now, more than ever, it’s important for us to celebrate diversity and share the stories of people who have made Scotland their home.
“This has been a year of terrible stories. War in Ukraine, unrest in Afghanistan, families stranded and separated by bureaucracy, Rwandan detention centres and people left with no option but to risk their lives on dangerous journeys in a desperate bid to reach a place of safety. But there are other, happier stories, and these are the ones that Refugee Festival Scotland aims to tell. Stories of friendship, resilience, hope and new beginnings. So please join us for this exciting programme of events, make new friends, have fun, and show the world that Scotland welcomes refugees.”
The festival celebrates the many ways refugees contribute to Scotland’s cultural life by showcasing the food and drink, music and dance, language and art that people bring with them when they settle in Scotland.
Refugee Festival Scotland is produced by Scottish Refugee Council. Details of the 2022 festival programme are now online at refugeefestivalscotland.co.uk
Sponsored Links
Latest Glasgow News
Calling all runners... grab a FREE post race drink from Flight Club Glasgow
Flight Club is inviting Glasgow AJ Bell Great Scottish Run participants to celebrate their incredible effort with a complimentary drink on Sunday 5th October!
READ MORE
Flight Club is giving out hundreds of prizes on the streets of Glasgow in October
The team behind the home of Social Darts is embarking on a nationwide charity tour in celebration of its 10th birthday and dishing out treats to its fans along the way!
READ MORE
GlasGLOW adds extra week after 35,000 tickets snapped up in days
City's biggest Halloween show extended as nostalgia-fuelled 'Miles Better' theme takes Glasgow by storm, with new dates on sale on Wednesday 17th September at 7.30am!
READ MORE
Wedding venue Crossbasket Castle unveils exquisite new menu curated by Michelin starred chef Michel Roux
Scotland's premier five-star luxury wedding destination, Crossbasket Castle, has unveiled a new decadent wedding menu crafted exclusively by world-renowned Michelin-starred chef Michel Roux.
READ MORE
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland graduate joins full cast of Death on the Nile at the Theatre Royal
The full cast has been announced for Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile which comes to the Theatre Royal Glasgow in February.
READ MORE
Spooky season returns to town with the announcement of Paisley Halloween Festival 2025
Paisley Halloween Festival will return to town next month to celebrate the spooky season with a packed programme of frightful fun for all the family!
READ MORE
Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for its 12th edition
Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival returns for its 12th edition on the big screen in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Stirling and Inverness from 1st to 19th October 2025.
READ MORE
Matilda the Musical comes to Glasgow for the first time
The Royal Shakespeare Company's smash hit production of Matilda The Musical, based on Roald Dahl's beloved book, will come to Glasgow for the very first time in 2026!
READ MORE
Cineworld 4DX Rewind returns for 2025
Cineworld is excited to announce the return of 4DX Rewind this September across Cineworld 4DX cinemas nationwide!
READ MORE
A jewellery store in Glasgow Fort is doubling in size following investment
Family-owned national diamond, jewellery and watch retailer, Beaverbrooks, is doubling the size of its Glasgow Fort store with a £1.3m investment.
READ MORE
Forget a boring beige Christmas in Glasgow...
This festive season at SWG3, Bongo's Bingo is transporting everyone back to the time where coloured tree lights and flammable tinsel ruled supreme!
READ MORE
Final countdown to the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run 2025 is on
Scotland's greatest running event, the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run, will return to Glasgow next month, and there’s still time to secure your place.
READ MORE
Popular Sunday BBQ returns to Glasgow favourite Sebbs
One of Glasgow's favourites is flipping the idea of a traditional roast on its head with the return of its Sunday BBQ later this month.
READ MORE
Marstons and Tom Shepherd join forces once more to serve up the best ever pub pie
Marston's and Michelin-starred chef Tom Shepherd have teamed up once more to serve up The Best Ever Pub Pie to locals across the country.
READ MORE
Edinburgh Fringe smash hit Oran embarks on first UK tour
Òran, the award-winning sell-out hit of the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe embarks on its first ever UK tour this autumn as company Wonder Fools take their work to a host of venues across Scotland.
READ MORE
SOAPYFEST raises thousands for Beatson Cancer Charity and Marie Curie
The Barrowland Ballroom was filled with love, laughter, and music as friends, family and supporters came together for SOAPYFEST, raising over £18K in support of Beatson Cancer Charity and Marie Curie
READ MORE
M&Ds teams up with Zombie Infection for a heart pounding, live action horror attraction
M&D's is set to transform into Scotland's Scream Park with the launch of Zombie Checkpoint, a live action immersive horror experience creating a heart racing adventure not for the faint hearted.
READ MORE
Topgolf Glasgow launches new field goal challenge game this autumn
Topgolf Glasgow is bringing a taste of the gridiron to Scotland this autumn with the launch of its brand-new Field Goal Challenge game.
READ MORE
GlasGLOW sells over 20,000 tickets in first hour as fans rush to relive 80s magic
GlasGLOW fever has gripped Glasgow once again, with more than 20,000 tickets for this year's GlasGLOW's Miles Better show snapped up within just 60 minutes of being released.
READ MORE
Iconic films to take centre stage at Vue venues in Scotland
Iconic movies celebrating key milestones this year are returning to Vue for a limited run - including Steven Spielberg classic Jaws.
READ MORE
20 expert sessions at The Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show
The Scottish Homebuilding & Renovating Show will be packed with expert speakers when it returns to the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston on 4th – 5th October 2025.
READ MORE
A Taste of Loch Lomond Book launches with live cooking demo at the Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival
Love Loch Lomond will officially launch its new publication, A Taste of Loch Lomond – Stories and Flavours from the Bonnie Banks, at the Loch Lomond Food & Drink Festival on Sunday 7th September.
READ MORE
Even more acts added to Tenement Trail 2025, set to take over the East End on Saturday 11th October
Multi-venue music festival taking over Glasgow's East End this October confirms Dead Pony and 14 new acts!
READ MORE
2025 Aye Write programme announced as tickets go on sale for annual book festival
Tickets will go on sale for Aye Write, Glasgow's long-established and much-loved book festival, at 11am today.
READ MORE
Seriously fun ideas for your work Christmas Party
It might only be September, but the C-word is not too far away, so it's time to start thinking about planning the annual office Christmas shindig before everything gets booked up!
READ MORE
Birds Fried Chicken launches collaboration series with Corner Shop
Birds Fried Chicken is taking its signature Southern-style fried chicken out of its natural Shawlands habitat and into new, unexpected settings with the launch of Rare Birds!
READ MORE
Buchanan Galleries champions Zero Waste Week with retailer initiatives for conscious consumers
Buchanan Galleries is marking Zero Waste Week (1 – 5 September 2025) by showcasing the centre's wide range of sustainable retail initiatives!
READ MORE
Business Gateway launches its first ever Scottish Start Up Month
Business Gateway, Scotland's national business support service, has launched Scottish Start-Up Month, a nationwide campaign to celebrate Scotland's entrepreneurial spirit.
READ MORE
Pop up play town brings big imaginations to little ones
A new role-play experience is popping up in community venues across Greater Glasgow this month bringing pint-sized professions and plenty of pretend fun to preschoolers and their families.
READ MORE
Local musicians to perform at outdoor charity concert at Nostrana restaurant
Summer may be over, but music festival season is still here, with an exciting outdoor concert in aid of Mary's Meals taking place in Glasgow's West End on Sunday 7th September.
READ MORESponsored Links
Sponsored Links