AN event highlighting the conditions under which asylum seekers are living in Northern Ireland has been held in Belfast.
People who have fled conflict zones and now living in temporary accommodation in the north were among those to share their experiences.
Asylum seekers receive £8 per week to live on and do not have the right to work in Northern Ireland.
Afraa Madhi, a mother-of-two, engineer and activist, was among those who spoke at the event, Weaving the Present and Shaping the Future at the MAC Belfast.
She has been living in a one-bedroom city centre hotel room for eight months.
Ms Madhi spoke of her experience as an asylum seeker and told of how, while a skilled professional, she is not permitted to work while she is in the system.
Other asylum seekers gave personal accounts of their living conditions and the impact on their families.
Dinner was also made by professional chefs caught in the asylum-seeking system in Northern Ireland.
This event aimed to provide an opportunity to examine and discuss the issues faced by asylum seekers who have fled violence and war to seek safety in Northern Ireland.
It also highlighted the resilience and skills of artists, creatives, designers, teachers, accountants, scientists who risked their lives for safety.
It was held in partnership with internationally acclaimed artist Khaled Barakeh, Practice and Participation of Rights (PPR) and the Anaka Women’s Collective.
Local politicians, advocacy organisations and Belfast’s new lord mayor Cllr Ryan Murphy were among those attended with many making a commitment to support PPR's 'Lift the Ban' campaign, advocating for the right of asylum seekers to work.
Elaine Forde, MAC creative learning manager, said: “This evening we saw powerful art created by artist Khaled Barakeh, in collaboration with artists, designers, tailors, accountants, biologists and skilled people who are caught in the asylum-seeking system, whose lives have been interrupted by violence and conflict.
"We are delighted that many of our guests – politicians and cultural leaders – made commitments to PPR’s Lift the Ban campaign to raise awareness of the environment asylum-seeking people have to endure in Northern Ireland.”
