World Refugee Day Workshop:
“Invasion or Human Rights Violation? People in Forced Displacement and the Role of Media.”
On June 20, 2019, Mama Africa UK & Italy, in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University, Migration Matters Festival, and the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice, hosted a thought-provoking workshop titled “Invasion or Human Rights Violation? People in Forced Displacement and the Role of Media.”
Held at Sheffield Hallam’s Collegiate Crescent Campus, this event marked World Refugee Day by critically exploring how media narratives shape public perceptions of migration and displacement.
Featuring powerful testimonies from refugees, insights from human rights scholars, and creative voices such as photojournalist Francesco Malavolta and Syrian-Swedish writer Khaled Alesmael, the workshop aimed to challenge dehumanising discourse and promote a deeper understanding of the human realities behind forced migration.
Through talks, artistic expression, and collaborative discussions, the event empowered participants to advocate for rights-based approaches and stand in solidarity with displaced people worldwide.
Bari Summer School Project
The Bari Summer School, a collaboration between Mama Africa Italy, Mama Africa Sheffield, and the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice at Sheffield Hallam University, offers students a powerful and immersive learning experience focused on migration, human rights, and social justice. Taking place in Bari, Italy, where thousands of asylum seekers and refugees have arrived from West Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, the programme invites students to engage directly with displaced communities. Through volunteering, interviews, creative storytelling, and documentary-making, students explore themes such as forced displacement, human trafficking, and modern slavery. The project fosters meaningful dialogue, co-creation, and cultural exchange, with the final outcomes—including films, blogs, and exhibitions—used to raise awareness and challenge harmful migration narratives in both academic and community spaces. More than a study trip, the Bari Summer School is a transformative journey into the realities of migration and solidarity across borders.