Archived SPIRASI News - 2008
Note: The following archived news items appear in reverse chronological order as that is how they are added to the front page of the SPIRASI web-site.
Run for SPIRASI in the 2008 Dublin Marathon
Are you training for the 2008 Lifestyle Sports – adidas Dublin Marathon? While pushing yourself to the limits, you could also be helping the clients who are in need of the vital services that SPIRASI provides.
Combining your marathon run with fundraising efforts on behalf of SPIRASI would contribute enormously to our important work. SPIRASI is a non-profit NGO which works with asylum seekers and refugees with special regard for survivors of torture.
Help SPIRASI Erase Torture
The 26th June is United Nations Day in Support of Victims of Torture. As a member of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT), SPIRASI will be participating in its “Erase torture” campaign for 2008.
This year, we are also submitting a petition to An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen requesting that the Irish government to fulfil its obligations as signatories to the United Nations Convention Against Torture by supporting the SPIRASI Centre for the Care of Survivors of Torture.
There is also an on-line version of the petition for those who don't have the time to print and return the paper version. Signatures on paper are more useful than on-line petitions so we would prefer it if you could print the PDF version and get your colleagues or friends to sign it before faxing it back to us at 01 8823547.
We will be collecting signatures for our petition until 3pm on Thursday when we will hand in all the collected signatures from our petition. A full list of the day’s events that we are organising or participating in can be read in the itinerary.
Launch of Placeways Exhibition
The 29th of May 2008 marks the launch of ‘Placeways’ a collaborative video installation influenced by global and personal displacement. The film is the result of a collaborative art project involving asylum seekers, refugees and migrants from SPIRASI who worked with artists Christopher Harrington and John Travers. Accomplished Ugandan playwright George Seremba will open this event. The installation engages with ideas of departure, arrival, place, safety and home. Each of the participants has experienced a transition of place in search of a safer life. The film portrays the joys and perils of a familiar home and the promises and obstacles of a new and unfamiliar place. ‘Placeways’ explores the duality of belonging versus the challenge of integration.
We hope you will be able to visit thisisnotashop while PLACEWAYS is on show either during its run or at the launch on Thursday 29th May at 6pm. If you require anymore information please do not hesitate to contact Jennifer Carberry at (01)8389664 or Jennifer@spirasi.ie
Submission on the ‘Immigration, Residency and Protection Bill 2008’
The new and lengthy Immigration, Residency and Protection Bill 2008 was published by the Minister for Justice at the end of January 2008. On 18th March, SPIRASI made a Submission on the ‘Immigration, Residency and Protection Bill 2008’ to the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defense and Women’s Rights dealing with problems in the proposed legislation. Our previous submission on this bill in 2005 can be found through our Submissions page.
SPIRASI on the Air-Waves
A special bilingual edition of the RTE Nuacht production `Pobail´ will be broadcast Sunday March 16th at 5.30pm on RTÉ 1. Pobail Speisialta will feature a community of asylum seekers and immigrants who share their experiences, and give their stories of life in Ireland. See the press release for more details.
Updates:
SPIRASI will also feature on Spectrum, the RTE Radio 1 programme on Saturday 15th March at 6pm. The show will cover SPIRASI participants´ experience of being involved in the CITY FUSION Pageant, the intercultural pageant involving 16 community groups from Dublin, and sponsored by Dublin City Council. On Patrick´s Day itself, the performers will take to the streets of Dublin as part of the Dublin St. Patrick´s Day Parade. They will be appearing as drummers and angels in the Big Bang City Fusion Pageant.
Finally, Therese Larkin, one of the SPIRASI psychotherapists will be one of the people featured in another TV programme. Titled St. Patrick the Blow In
, it will be broadcast on RTE 1 on Patrick´s Day itself (17th of March) at 11am. St. Patrick was a slave living in exile in Ireland and the programme is relating this to contemporary Ireland and current issue with immigrants.
Navigating Home - Theatre Performance
SPIRASI would like to invite you to Navigating Home, a performance piece created by the Creative Expression Group as part of Art and Integration Project. This participant led theatre piece has been directed by Jenny Macdonald and reflects the participants experience of migration, home and belonging.
If you would like to attend, please book yourself a place for the day and time that suits by e-mailing Gráinne at godonnell@spirasi.ie.
There are 5 possible show options: 2 shows on the Friday 7th March at 8pm and 9pm and 3 show options on Wednesday 12th March at 7pm, 8pm and 9pm. A Question & Answer session will follow after the last show each night. The performances are free of charge and take place in The Irish Aid Centre on O´Connell St. but places are limited to 25 people per show, so book now! We hope that you can come along and support this project!
SPIRASI welcomes HSE recognition of its services - February 2008
The HSE launched its National Intercultural Health Strategy on 21st February. This new policy document recognises the importance of the work of SPIRASI in two core areas: Care for survivors of torture and the Health Information and Promotion Service which SPIRASI provides to asylum seekers.
For the first time ever within a government policy document, the work which SPIRASI undertakes is recognised and support for SPIRASI in providing these services is urged. The HSE has, through the Intercultural Health Strategy, acknowledged that NGOs are a more appropriate means of delivering such services. This is because many asylum seekers and particularly survivors of torture may hold deep-seated distrust of state authorities as a result of traumatic experiences incurred at the hands of the state in their pre-migratory lives.
The primary objective of the strategy is to provide a framework through which service users and providers are supported in addressing the unique care and support needs of people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds. SPIRASI was invited to participate in the development of the strategy document by facilitating consultation with members of ethnic minority communities which was fed into the document.
The National Intercultural Health Strategy was launched at the Mansion House in Dublin on Thursday 21st February by the Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney, the Minister for Integration, Conor Lenihan, and CEO of the HSE, Professor Brendan Drumm among others. To coincide with the launch, SPIRASI released a press statement on the Intercultural Health Strategy and the SPIRASI Arts Programme participated in the launch by organising an exhibition of art made by refuge seekers and immigrants in Ireland.
SPIRASI Lenten Appeal
Lent is the Christian season of fasting and prayer during the 40 days preceding Easter. Traditionally, it’s a time that Irish people choose to go without worldly pleasures. However it can also be a time for people to make a positive difference to other people’s lives. If you've given up smoking, drinking, or chocolate this season, think of all the €€€s that you're saving and consider donating the money you've saved to the SPIRASI Lenten Appeal. Feel better about yourself — at least until you splash out at Easter.
Happy Valentine’s Day from SPIRASI
SPIRASI would like to wish all our friends and supporters a love filled Valentine’s Day. Show us your love by giving generously!
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