Open arms for refugee community

Smiling faces, traditional dishes and colourful dancing marked World Refugee Day in Marlborough.

Marlburians gathered to share food, dance, stories and games at MySpace on last Wednesday afternoon.

World Refugee Day shines a light on the stories, rights, needs and dreams of refugees.

Celebrating the special day, former Colombian, Venezuelan and Rohingya communities who have made Marlborough their home, shared their stories and culture.

A song about the Rohingya story was written for the evening and led by Salim Soyud Amin, who through local assistance is studying aircraft engineering at NMIT.

Salim is one of the many new Marlburians who is thriving in his new home.

But sharing the past and what people have endured to get here is important too, he says.

“I believe events like World Refugee Day is a chance to share our experiences of what we have all faced to get here to Marlborough”, says Salim.

“My first experiences moving here were amazing and helped to make a home here in Blenheim thanks to the Red Cross, the Marlborough Multicultural Centre, the local mosque and Muslim community, and amazing people like Margaret Western.”

Salim says that no matter where refugees come from, they can relate to one another with tales of what they faced to find a home here in Marlborough.

“There’s similar stories of violence and persecution from across the world - even this week, we haven’t been able to contact our families back home as the violence between the government and the Arakan Army has started again in Maungdaw on the Bangladesh border.

“The meaning of World Refugee Day means we can share stories between people, make great community connections, show support and make one another feel welcome here in our new Marlborough home.”

Organiser Cynthia Iguaran, who moved to Marlborough from Colombia with daughter Shaylen two years ago, attended last year’s event as a new migrant and stepped up to be a part of the organisers this year.

“Last year we were involved with the Red Cross and made really good friendships through them, and they asked me to help put the event together”, says Cynthia.

“The atmosphere here tonight is so nice, and it helps new Marlburians make Marlborough feel like home.

“It’s important to feel the love from all people here for all people who have been refugees and gone through the same struggles leaving their homes to find new ones here in Marlborough.”