Racial Justice Sunday
Date: Sunday 12th September
Details: Churches Together in Britain and Ireland Racial Justice Network and the Catholic Association for Racial Justice have prepared a variety of materials for Racial Justice Sunday. These are focussed on the question in Luke 10:29, ‘Who is my neighbour?’ and the theme of migration: building bridges or barriers. The materials can be viewed and downloaded at http://www.ctbi.org.uk/490

Intercultural Gala
Date: Wednesday 15th September
Time: From 7.30pm
Venue: Market Place, William Street, Portadown
Details: As part of the annual Country Comes to Town festival Craigavon Intercultural Programme is holding an intercultural gala. The Gala will include demonstrations of art and craft work, music and art. All are welcome. For further details see www.craigavonintercultural.org

Migrant Awareness Training
Date: Thursday, 16th September
Time: 9.30am - 1.30pm 
Venue: Contact organiser for details
Details: An interactive training workshop which explores inward and outward migration and the rights of migrant workers in Northern Ireland. It aims to dispel myths and provide practical information on issues relating to migration. The workshop was designed and is delivered by South Belfast Roundtable and Belfast City Council Good Relations Unit. For more information contact Leish Dolan on 028 9032 0202 (ext 6028) or email dolanl@belfastcity.gov.uk
NOTE: There are no longer any places available for this training event. The training workshop will run again in October and November. Please contact the organiser for availability of places on future dates.
This workshop can be provided for church groups of about 12 participants. Please contact Denise Wright at denise.wright@sbrtr.org.uk for further information.

Northern Ireland Human Right’s Commission Annual Conference
Date: Thursday, 16th September
Time: 9am - 5pm
Venue: The Waterfront Hall, Belfast
Details: The conference celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the Human Rights Act coming into force and will consider the future of human rights in the UK, including challenges and opportunities. For further details or to register for the event please contact Events, NIHRC, Temple Court, 39 North Street, Belfast, BT1 1NA or email events@nihrc.org 

Training: Ending Hate Crime
Date: Friday, 17th September
Time: 9.30am - 1.30pm
Venue: Belfast venue, contact organiser for details
Details: This half-day workshop is delivered by South Belfast Roundtable and staff from Belfast City Council Good Relations Unit. It aims to give particpants an understanding of the extent of bias, haressment and hate crimes in their community and the impact of bias and harassment on those targeted, as well as practical skills to help them respond to and prevent hate crime. For further information please contact Leish Dolan on 028 9032 0202 (ext 6028) or email dolanl@belfastcity.gov.uk
NOTE: There are no longer any places available for this training event. The training workshop will run again in October and November. Please contact the organiser for availability of places on future dates.
This workshop can be provided for church groups of about 12 participants. Please contact Denise Wright at denise.wright@sbrtr.org.uk for further information.

Craigavon Intercultural Programme Intercultural Children’s Festival
Date: Friday, 17th September
Time: From 7.30pm
Venue: Portadown Borough Council
Details: Children and young people from a variety of ethnic communities will perform at this festival. further details can be found at www.craigavonintercultural.org

Life as a Stranger: Migrant Workers’ Experiences of Statutory Services
Date: Tuesday, 21st September 2010
Time: 9.45am - 1.00pm
Venue: Seagoe Hotel, Portadown
Details: Dr Ruth McAreavey will launch a new report on the experiences of migrant workers and new nationals in accessing and using statory services in the Craigavon area. For further information please contact George Thompson on 028 3834 4973 or email george.thompson@southerntrust.hscni. A flier for this event is available to view and/or download here Life as a Stranger Invitation

Culture Night Belfast
Date: Friday 24th September
Time: 4pm - 10pm
Venue: Cathedral Quarter, Belfast
Details: Belfast’s largest cultural celebration includes perfomances, workshops, live music and children’s activities. A free event suitable for all the family. Further details are available on the event website www.culturenightbelfast.com

To Kill a Mockingbird: screening & discussion
Date: 27th  September
Time:
Venue: Parliament Buildings, Stormont Estate, Belfast
Details: An opportunity to view and reflect on the classic film ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, examining issues which are relevant to today’s society here in Northern Ireland and in particular the consultation of the programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration. For more information or to take part contact projectmanager@uniteagainsthate.org.uk

Church Leaders visit Welcome Centre
On 1st June 2006, leaders of the four largest churches in Northern Ireland visited a day centre which provides basic support to migrant workers who are sleeping rough. They were invited by members of churches and voluntary organisations seeking to raise awareness of this escalating issue.

Northern Ireland is benefiting greatly from the many migrant workers who are coming into the province. The vast majority are employed in a wide range of industries and services and provide a very valuable contribution to our society and economy. Their tax and national insurance contributions are also significant.

However a small number are unable to find work or keep their jobs and become destitute. Factors contributing to this include employer exploitation, poor language skills, and work related accidents. Once unemployed, and not entitled to welfare payments, these workers struggle to maintain payments for rented accommodation and within a relatively short period of time can find themselves on the streets.

There have been a number of well publicised incidents regarding migrant workers sleeping rough on park benches and parked cars over the past few months. The most graphic example of the situation was that of Oksana Sukhanova, who lost both her legs following frostbite which had resulted from having to live on the streets during the winter of 04/05. Despite the outcry then, the reality is that the situation is far worse now, with many, many more migrant workers destitute.

The only safety net is provided by hostels for the homeless. However the hostel providers receive no support from the Department of Social Development for the places they provide and therefore they have to bear the cost themselves.

The Simon Community and the Welcome Centre are two organisations at the forefront of providing support for migrant workers who are sleeping rough. The Welcome Centre is a day centre, which provides hot food and shelter.

Mandy Jones from the Simon Community, spoke of the support they were providing for migrant workers. She highlighted several success stories where migrant workers who were homeless had been reintegrated into the workplace through the intervention of the Simon Community.

Rev Richard Kerr, who coordinated the visit, spoke of the need for action by Government, statutory bodies, businesses, voluntary agencies and Churches. “We cannot accept a situation where people, who are making such a significant contribution to our society, are being treated as second class citizens and have no access to a basic safety net in times of hardship.”

Change of Government policy on Immigration Detention Immigration detainees will no longer be held in Northern Ireland following a change in UK Government policy. Detainees will now be sent to removal centres in Scotland and England, separating them from family, community and legal support here. See Immigration detention page for more information.

Belfast Church in Racist Attack
On 9th March St Columcille’s in Ballyhackamore, East Belfast, was desecrated with graffiti, including racist, sectarian and sexual slogans. Many of its parishoners are Polish and Filipino workers from nearby Ulster Hospital. BBC report

Global Educator accredited training
Dates: Friday 1st October, Saturday 23rd October, Friday 5th November, Saturday 13th November, Friday 26th November and Saturday 4th December 
Time: 9.30am - 4.30pm
Venue: Centre for Global Education, 9 University Street, Belfast
Details: The Centre for Global Education is providing accredited training for the minority sector on global education. The global educator draws upon the personal experiences of people involved with or from minority ethnic backgrounds. It aims to enhance their skills and knowledge to bring global issues alive at a local level. For further details contact Charo Lanao-Madden on 028 9024 1879 or email charo@centreforglobaleducation.com . A brochure is available to download here Training Brochure

Study Day: A World on the Move
Date: Friday, 1st October 2010
Time: 10.15am - 3.50pm
Venue: St John’s Presbyterian Church, Newtownbreda, 374 Ormeau Road, Belfast
Details: An Edinburgh 1910 Centenary event, this study day on migration and mission is organised by the World Mission Committee of the Board of Overseas Affairs, Irish Council of Churches. Dr Afe Adogame, lecturer in World Christianity at New College, University of Edinburgh is the main speaker for the event and will address issues of welcome, worship and witness. There is a £5 fee for the study day. All are welcome. A flier which includes booking form can be accessed here. 
This event is also being run in Dublin on 2nd October, details on flier.

Migrant Awareness Training
Date: Thursday, 7th October
Time: 9.30am - 1.30pm 
Venue: Contact organiser for details
Details: An interactive training workshop which explores inward and outward migration and the rights of migrant workers in Northern Ireland. It aims to dispel myths and provide practical information on issues relating to migration. The workshop was designed and is delivered by South Belfast Roundtable and Belfast City Council Good Relations Unit. For more information contact Leish Dolan on 028 9032 0202 (ext 6028) or email dolanl@belfastcity.gov.uk

Training: Ending Hate Crime
Date: Wednesday, 13th October
Time: 9.30am - 1.30pm
Venue: Belfast venue, contact organiser for details
Details: This half-day workshop is delivered by South Belfast Roundtable and staff from Belfast City Council Good Relations Unit. It aims to give particpants an understanding of the extent of bias, haressment and hate crimes in their community and the impact of bias and harassment on those targeted, as well as practical skills to help them respond to and prevent hate crime. For further information please contact Leish Dolan on 028 9032 0202 (ext 6028) or email dolanl@belfastcity.gov.uk