Refugee friendship quilt weaves new connections in Aberystwyth
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Cambrian News
24-06-2025
- Cambrian News
Refugee friendship quilt weaves new connections in Aberystwyth
Co-organiser Dr Naji Bakti, a Lebanese author, lecturer in Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University, and coordinator of the Creative Community project said: 'At our Refugee Week event in 2024, we explored the concerns, priorities and needs of refugee communities in Aberystwyth, and heard the strong desire for more opportunities to engage in collective creative practice, and to connect to our surrounding environment. The Friendship Quilt weaves these together through a creative celebration of community and nature, and complements the other activities we've delivered over the past year including embroidery, photography, woodland crafts and surfing. We're looking forward to supporting service providers and policy makers in engaging in similar approaches, to ensure that community cohesion initiatives are led by the priorities of refugee communities themselves.'
Metro
21-06-2025
- Metro
My mother's words as I fled my homeland ring in my ears
I'll never forget the last thing my mother told my husband, Zakirullah, before we had to say goodbye. 'Fatemah is my amânat to you, take care of her.' Amânat is a Dari word that essentially translates to: 'A gift you entrust someone with.' She said this as floods of tears streamed down my face. I didn't want to leave her – or my three younger siblings – but Zakir and I had no choice. Within two weeks, Kabul fell to the Taliban and my whole world shattered. I was born and raised in the west of Afghanistan in a city called Herāt. Devastatingly, my father was killed by the Taliban when I was just six years old, leaving my mother to raise me, my younger brother, and two younger sisters. Despite this, I was always encouraged to dream big. That's why, after university in 2013, I decided to study a master's degree in Kabul, which is on the other side of the country. From there, I worked for the British Council, where I was in charge of the child protection department and various programs within schools and higher education. Zakir and I met in 2015 for the first time. I delivered a training in one of the orphanages in Kabul, and he was working there. I think God had already decided for us. We met each other by chance at one of the institutes again, and there we started talking, sharing job opportunities and study plans. I realised we were similar in many ways, but different in others. I liked that he was smart, educated, and caring. But his family is quite conservative, so the women in his family didn't get an education or a job. He has always been so supportive of me and my dreams though. Refugee Week is the world's largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking safety. Each year, IMIX – a charity that helps change the way people think and talk about migration – supports Refugee Week Ambassadors. These are people, like Fatemah, who came to the UK to rebuild their lives and who now play an important part in our communities. IMIX is proud to work with Metro as a trusted partner in highlighting these voices and shining a light on the many ways refugees help make the UK a better place for everyone. You can read Dorsa's story below I hugged my dad to hide the terrifying truth We got engaged in 2016 and were married a year later. We were thrilled to welcome our two sons in 2018 and 2020. After that, our lives felt settled and comfortable. In fact, Zakir and I were doing so well (he was working with the US government by that point) that we managed to rent a home in Kabul and were able to help move my mother, sisters, and brother from Herāt to be near us. It was worlds away from how we both grew up. We were all so happy. Then, in April 2021, we saw terrifying headlines that NATO allies were going to start withdrawing from the country, which would effectively hand it over to the Taliban. Within a month of that, Zakir heard about the UK's Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme, which helps relocate Afghans who worked with the UK to get them out of the country. I was eligible because I had worked at the UK Ministry of Defence and the British Embassy, as well as various international organisations over the years, which would almost certainly put me in grave danger. My husband decided to apply for us and it was all approved by July. Of course, we felt relieved at the idea of escaping to safety, but it was heartbreaking to realise we couldn't bring anyone with us besides our two boys. Breaking the news to our families was incredibly tough. We didn't know when – or if – we would see them again and I was so scared that my work would put my family in danger. That's when I had the emotional moment saying goodbye to my mother and siblings. Her words were still ringing in my ears as we boarded the plane heading to the UK on August 3 – a country I'd never been to before. We arrived in Manchester and were placed in hotel quarantine for seven days due to the pandemic. We were moved from hotel to hotel across the country until we finally secured permanent accommodation in south-east London. Thankfully, both my husband and I were able to continue working, but this wasn't easy while juggling trying to get our sons settled and adjusting to school. I have since completed another master's degree and I work for the British Council again after a career break, while my husband secured a job at Queen Mary University. As for my siblings and mother, they were forced to flee their homes repeatedly to avoid detection from the Taliban until we managed to secure visas for them in Pakistan by the end of 2021. Thankfully, my mother, brother, and sisters secured visas again – this time to Australia – by the year after, where they still are today. Throughout it all, it's been incredibly difficult to be away from them. Of course, we regularly talk but I haven't seen my siblings now for almost four years. I feel quite lucky to be able to say that I met with my mother in Germany last August for the first time since being separated. The moment I saw her, I broke down in tears – I was so happy. Remarkably, my eldest son – who was around three when he last saw his grandmother – remembered her. In fact, he was so overwhelmed with joy at being reunited that he cried himself to sleep on her shoulder. Unfortunately, we only managed to spend two weeks together in Germany before she had to go back to Australia and me to the UK. Ever since, my eldest son still asks when we're all going to be properly united. Of course, I want that to happen, but they're all so tired of starting over again and again. For that reason, I don't know what the future holds for us all. For now, I'm concentrating on building a life for my sons in the UK. Part of that is trying to be a role model, which is why I'm an ambassador for the charity City of Sanctuary, as well as involved with Refugee Week. More Trending At the end of the day, I want people in the UK to realise that we're real humans with real stories. We miss our homeland a lot, and we came here as we had to, not because we wanted to. My story is not yet finished. But at least we still have the greatest amânat of all – our lives. As told to James Besanvalle Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: I went to Glastonbury and discovered it's just really overrated MORE: I'm allowed to date other women – my partner isn't MORE: How I stopped feeling insecure when my partner didn't orgasm
Daily Mirror
19-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Endangered shark spotted in shallow waters off British beach
Alex McGlynn, who has been fishing for 20 years, said he had never seen a tope shark off the Welsh coast - with the species listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List An endangered shark has been caught in shallow waters off a British beach by a stunned fisherman. Alex McGlynn, who has been fishing for 20 years, said he had never seen a tope shark in the area. They can grow up to six feet in length and primarily eat bony fish as well as crustaceans and cephalopods. Thankfully, the species of shark are not deemed aggressive and there are no records of attacks on humans. The species is listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List. Alex thinks the catch, which happened off the coast in Swansea, could be a good sign. "What a fish, I was absolutely buzzing," he told What's The Jam. It is rare to catch them off shallow beaches or off the shore entirely. "It shows that numbers are increasing or they are looking for alternative food sources due to a lack of their primary food source, mackerel, likely caused by overfishing. "Tope are generally a deep water shark, so you usually catch them off boats." Alex released the shark soon after catching it. He said it weighed about 40lbs. The tope shark can reach lengths of up to 6ft 3in - but despite their size, they are not threatening and have been spotted around the UK in the last few years. There has never been any record of an unprovoked tope attack on humans. In the past, tope were targeted for their high vitamin A content in their liver. They are protected in UK and EU waters and if caught on rod and line must be returned to the sea alive. It comes after beachgoers basking in the UK's sizzling temperatures in May were left stunned after spotting a shark dangerously close to two different shorelines. Shocking video footage captured the moment the 12-foot "mini-Jaws" swam just feet away from the shore at Aberystwyth's North Beach in Wales on Friday evening, with crowds gathering to watch as its fin emerged from the water. The mammal, thought to be a Porbeagle shark, was reported to wildlife rescue teams and the coastguard over fears it was ill or injured. As it swam dangerously close to the beach jetty, the animal was also feared to be at risk of beaching itself. As a result, the public were warned to stay away for their own safety and to prevent additional stress for the animal. Craig Roberts, who was in the area visiting his son at Aberystwyth University, saw the shark and said kids were jumping into the water moments before it emerged. He said: "We were on the pier and saw a bit of a commotion so went to have a look. Kids were jumping in the water just before it was spotted - they soon got out though."
