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Dear Critters, Passing this on as it may be of interest to list members - apologies for any cross posting. Best wishes, Claire The first *Refugee Tales *took place in June 2015, walking in solidarity with Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Immigration Detainees, from Dover to Crawley along the North Downs Way. As the project walked it reclaimed the landscape of South East England for the language of welcome, and everywhere it stopped it was met with hospitality and enthusiasm. Working directly in collaboration with those who have experienced the UK asylum system, and taking Chaucer’s great poem of journeying as a model, established writers told a series of tales en route. Through that sharing of other people’s tales the project gathered and communicated experiences of migration, aiming to show, in particular, what indefinite detention means. From 3 July to 8 July 2016, Refugee Tales will walk again. Starting with a Forum at the University of Kent, ‘Being Detained Indefinitely: A Day of Thought, Performance and Action’. The UK is the only country in Europe to operate a policy of indefinite immigration detention, a practice that does untold damage to tens of thousands of lives. The purpose of the Forum is to communicate the facts and experience of indefinite detention, while setting the policy in a wider human context and making the case for change. We are looking to reach as wide an audience as possible and in particular we are seeking to influence opinion formers. Confirmed speakers so far include Ali Smith, our patron, Shami Chakrabarti, Marina Warner, Mary Bosworth and Abdulrazak Gurnah. We can promise a highly stimulating day of thought and performance leading to action and we very hope much hope you can join the debate. The walk will leave Canterbury on 4 July, moving north to Gravesend and then along the Thames into central London, calling once again for the practice of indefinite immigration detention to end. As the project walks it will create a space in which the language of welcome is the prevailing discourse, a political carnival in which the act of listening is a common resource. Booking for *Refugee Tales *opens this week. Use online booking at www.refugeetales.org if you would like to attend our opening Forum or walk with us for a single day or the full five days. If you have any questions about *Refugee Tales *please email Anna at [log in to unmask] Yours sincerely, Ali Smith, Patron - Refugee Tales David Herd – University of Kent Nic Eadie, Director – Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group -- Claire Reddleman www.clairereddleman.com 33a White Horse Lane, Stepney Green, London E1 3NE 07886 074488