21 June 2021

Refugee Week is being marked at St Ignatius College Geelong, Drysdale, with a series of three actions that bring to life the plight of refugees.

As part of the college’s commitment to developing young adults with conscience and compassion who are ready to serve their community and transform their world, students and teachers are taking part in tasks that highlight the challenges presented to refugees. The first action, a silent protest, involves students and staff continuing their usual school routine for a day, but in vocal and digital silence to highlight the plight of those who can’t be heard. The second action, ‘the Cage’, has students and teachers studying, eating and eventually sleeping overnight in a cyclone-fenced area at school. This action is to raise awareness for, and stand in solidarity with, asylum seekers and refugees. The third action is a ration challenge with participants eating only from a specific menu consisting of the same food in the same quantities as that distributed to Syrian refugees in urban refugee camps in Jordan.

‘During Refugee Week at the college, we are providing a number of activities for our students to raise their awareness of the plight of refugees’, said principal Michael Exton. ‘These efforts are a way for us to protect the human rights of refugees, and celebrate the positive contributions they make to society.’

With the theme ‘Unity – the way forward’, Refugee Week continues until Saturday 26 June 2021. Contact publications@macs.vic.edu.au to share your school’s events for Refugee Week.