Reclaiming the narrative during Refugee Week

Positive stories from refugees who have found sanctuary in and around Chester will be the focus of the latest Assemble panel discussion at Chester Cathedral this month.

Conversations with Refugees: Reclaiming the Narrative on Thursday, June 19th, will hear from those who have sought and those who have offered a safe place to live to people fleeing violence or persecution. The event is part of a nationwide Refugee Week from June 16th - 22nd.

The panel includes: Gemma Davies, Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Director of Economy and Housing; Rev Dr Taras Khomych, a priest of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Family of London; Muhumuza Mutuze and Fatouma Sanyang from the North West Regional Strategic Migration Partnership; Ukrainian refugees and local people who offered them sanctuary.

Gemma will put people’s stories into the context of the council’s strategy.  Chester became a City of Sanctuary in 2018, Chester Cathedral a Cathedral of Sanctuary in 2023 and Cheshire West and Chester Council was awarded Council of Sanctuary accreditation earlier this year.

Father Taras, senior lecturer in Theology at Liverpool Hope University, is involved in pastoral care of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic communities in Liverpool, Stoke-on-Trent and Belfast. Since the beginning of Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he has been working with displaced Ukrainians in Merseyside and beyond.  

Muhumuza and Fatouma work with vulnerable children across the region, including unaccompanied children, to help support positive local responses to migration.  They focus particularly on those in local authority care.  

Dean of Chester Dr Tim Stratford will welcome the panel and audience, who are invited to ask questions and engage with speakers.

He said:

“Everyone is welcome to Chester Cathedral and we are delighted that members of our congregation who have sought sanctuary and those who have offered it will get a chance to talk about their experiences during the evening.

“It really is time to reclaim the narrative where refugees are concerned and to take control of how we all tell our stories – to celebrate culture, history and contribution.”

The Assemble event begins at 6.45pm with refreshments available from 6.15pm. 

Free tickets are available from the Chester Cathedral website:

chestercathedral.com