How can Australia expand its goodwill so as to provide sanctuary and sustenance to refugees knocking on its door? This question was posed by Jesuit Refugee Service Australia during Refugee Week 2014 when it teamed up with The Wayside Chapel in Sydney to present a photo exhibition chronicling the resilience of refugees and the hospitality of their host countries.
Entitled Sanctuary and Sustenance, the exhibition illustrated the lives of refugees from the two countries currently enduring the world’s worst humanitarian crises: Syria and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The exhibition, which was first held by JRS International in Rome in 2013, demonstrates how hospitality — building a strong, supportive community and transcending religious and ethnic divides — enables refugees to become active members of their new communities.
In mounting this exhibition, JRS Australia hopes to encourage Australian viewers to consider refugee issues from the perspective of those mired in conflict and despair, and to prompt discussion about how their own country might develop a humane response to its own refugee concerns.
“The exhibition’s focus on Syrian and Congolese refugees is representative of JRS Australia’s commitment to showing hospitality to people who are emerging from crises, wherever in the world they are. When we advocate for humane asylum policy, it is people like those in the photographs we are speaking out on behalf of,” said Oliver White, JRS’ Head of Policy and Advocacy.
The exhibition was a significant collaboration with The Wayside Chapel, which shares JRS’ mission of providing unconditional love, care and support to people in need.
“The Wayside Chapel has long been a place of welcome and refuge for the most vulnerable members of the community so we are honoured to collaborate with JRS Australia to shine a light on ways in which Australians can not only create a more welcoming environment for refugees but also embrace and be inspired by them,” said Rev Graham Long, Pastor and CEO of The Wayside Chapel.
Sanctuary and Sustenance was launched on June 18 at The Wayside Chapel in Potts Point, and was on view at select times during Refugee Week, which ran from June 15 to 21. [Province Express]