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What is your idea of "home"?

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Sense of Asylum

"A Sense of Asylum: Refugees and Asylum-Seekers in Hong Kong"
An Exhibition and Day of Events at Hong Kong University

April 17
12:30pm-2pm
Opening Event (Dance Performance, Lecture by Amnesty International, Video Screening, Henna Tattooing, and Ethnic Lunch)
Global Lounge, Next to Pacific Coffee, G/F of Fong Shu Chuen Amenities Center, Hong Kong University Campus (Map http://www.hku.hk/maps/index.html)

May 1-May 4
11am-5pm daily
Multi-media Exhibition (Including photography and creative work by refugees and asylum-seekers)
K.K. Leung Concourse, K.K. Leung Building, Hong Kong University Campus (Map http://www.hku.hk/maps/index.html)

Hong Kong is a city built by refugees-- brave individuals trying to escape violence, persecution and poverty in search of a better life. Today, Hong Kong is still a place where desperate people arrive in hopes of asylum. But their lives, and the intense difficulties they face, are often invisible.

This project seeks to raise awareness about contemporary refugees and asylum-seekers in Hong Kong. At present, there are over 2500 men, women, and children temporarily sharing our Hong Kong home. Primarily from Africa and South Asia, they have fled to this city seeking recognition from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, but most wait years until their case is decided. Even for those who are accepted as recognized refugees, they must continue to wait until they are accepted by another country for resettlement.

During the long limbo of asylum-seekers, they cannot work, and so without a source of income, rely on the charity of local churches and NGOs for basic survival. Many who cannot find proper social assistance or shelter become street-sleepers. They often face strong prejudice from the local community, live in constant fear of arrest by the Hong Kong police, deportation by the Immigration Department, or discovery by the people or governments they are fleeing. They have very few resources or channels for health care and education. And yet, many of these families and individuals express their love for the safety, peace, and freedom of Hong Kong. Many pursue opportunities for education and interaction with the local community of Hong Kong, and are proud to exchange their culture with Hong Kong people. Their vibrant perseverance in the face of hardship is an inspiration, and their hope for a small space of temporary refuge in our city is something we cannot ignore.

Though this community remains "anonymous", we can meet these individuals through the five senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch). Hopefully we as Hong Kongers, native or "temporary" ourselves, can get more of a "sense" of their lives and situation, and so more generously share our city with those who have lost their own.

For more information, contact Catherine Chan (Project Coordinator, cathchan@hkusua.hku.hk, 9212 9669) or Samantha Culp (Media Designer, samanthaculp@gmail.com, 9579 9980)

Participate in the Project!

Share your own perspective: "What is your idea of 'home'?"

Starting Out

This is a blog about the exhibition "A Sense of Asylum", opening in April at Hong Kong University.