EMBRACE is an inter-church organisation, which began as a support group for refugees and people seeking asylum , but we now see our main role as one of encouraging church communities to make this a more welcoming place for all people from minority ethnic backgrounds.

It began informally in 2001 as individuals from different denominations became increasingly concerned about the difficulties facing refugees and people seeking asylum in this country. They wanted to do more than talk and were committed to finding a way of responding in a Gospel manner to the new strangers in our midst.

A focus group was formed which met with organisations such as NICEM, the Red Cross, the St Vincent de Paul Society and the Law Society as its members tried to educate themselves about the situation. It also hosted several seminars in St Clement’s retreat house in order to inform and to raise awareness of the local situation.

The next step was to contact interested people from the other Churches. Very quickly an inter-church committee was formed and from this EMBRACE was born.

The official launch of EMBRACE took place on 22nd October 2003 in the Wellington Park Hotel in Belfast. The Rev. Arlington Trotman, Secretary of the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland Commission for Racial Justice, spoke at the launch, welcoming this initiative.

EMBRACE is a group of Christians who have come together to promote a positive response to minority ethnic people in Northern Ireland. We seek to equip the church to fulfil its call to welcome the stranger, by providing information, training, materials and channels for practical help.

EMBRACE seeks to:

• Reflect gospel values of compassion, hospitality and justice
• Raise awareness and provide information, resources and training
• Respond to those in need by acting as a channel for voluntary assistance
• Support people by human rights and welfare advocacy
• Network with relevant agencies and groups
• Make informed responses on issues of public policy

Latest

EMBRACE ‘Who’s who? Who’s here?’ leaflet available.
Jan 2008
EMBRACE have prepared a leaflet entitled ‘Who’s who? Who’s here?’ which gives summary information relating to commonly asked questions concerning people seeking asylum, refugees, migrants and migrant workers who come to N Ireland. For more information or to obtain free copies, please contact our office.

EMBRACE AGM considers the shadow cast by slavery
The Keynote speaker at the EMBRACE AGM 2007 was Arlington Trotman, the Moderator of the Churches Commission for Migrants in Europe. He said that African descendants are always aware that skin colour is at the heart of the matter. Africans were deemed to be inferior and European enslavers superior. This was used to justify the horrific slave trade, and was reinforced by Enlightenment thinkers. The slave trade was economic and made huge wealth for Britain and Europe, all at the expense of enslaved Aficans traded in America and the Caribbean. Even Christian themes were used to justify enslavement: One of Sir John Hawkin’s slave ships commanded by Francis Drake and owned by Queen Elizabeth was ironically called The Grace of God.
Today, some 10.5 million people exist in various forms of slavery, including bonded labour and sex exploitation. The systematic extraction of mineral resources from Africa and Asia over the centuries has contributed to abject poverty in those continents, and deep mental slavery. The Bible challenges dehumanisation but proclaims the oneness of the human family. We have to strive together to confirm the equality of all human beings, and to reunite humanity socially, economically and politically.

EMBRACE Launch ‘once we were strangers’ CD Rom
On Thursday 25th January 2006, at St. Columcilles Church Hall, Belfast, EMBRACE launched ‘once we were strangers’ CD Rom. This resource consists of a collection of nine first-hand accounts of the experience of arriving and settling here. In addition there are Bible studies, reflections, discussion starters and group activities, which provide opportunities to consider the issues and how to best respond in welcome.
Alongside the CD, Dr Scott Boldt launched a booklet entitled ‘Intercultural Insights - Christian reflections on racism, hospitality and identity from the island of Ireland’. The booklet consists of 16 short pieces on the theme, suitable for personal reflection or use in sermons and talks, and comes out under the aegis of the All-Ireland Churches’ Consultative Meeting on Racism which is part of the inter-church structures (Irish Inter-Church Meeting).

Copies of both resources are available from the EMBRACE office.

Assistance parcels for Destitute Migrant Workers
As part of a response to the destitution of migrant workers EMBRACE has established a pilot project with several Belfast churches through which basic packs of essential items are prepared and distributed to those in need. 

2006 AGM
The EMBRACE 2006 AGM was held at Edgehill Theological College on the evening of Tuesday, 16th May. The keynote address was given by Dr Neil Jarman, Director of The Institute for Conflict Research. Dr Jarman spoke on the topic of ‘Migrant Workers, new trends and new challenges’, providing a coherent assessment of the movement of workers into Northern Ireland, primarily from the EU accession states, their needs and the impact on the local community and economy.This was followed by the reflections of Anna Lo, from the Chinese Welfare Association on the experience of the Chinese population in settling in Northern Ireland in the past 40 years.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language - Introductory Talks
EMBRACE would like thank all who came along to the two  Introductory Talks:

How to Set Up a Conversational English Programme
Tuesday, 12th February 2008

Introduction to Teaching English
Tuesday, 19th February 2008

Follow-up

EMBRACE are looking at the possibility of setting up English language learning for street sellers. This would be based in south Belfast.