Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Activities

A: Introduction
Look at the posters on the table.
Who produced these posters?
Do you think the posters are advertisements for Lego? If not, why not?

Unfold the bottom of the posters and read them through. Talk about the questions
below in pairs.
UNHCR UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UN agency devoted to
protecting and supporting refugees)
owing to because of
well-founded with a good reason (e.g. a fear or concern)
persecution suffering, oppression

1. What is the one difference between refugees and you and me?

2. What events do you think could have happened to cause a person to flee and
leave everything behind?

4. How would you feel if you were a refugee who had to leave your home, family
and possessions behind and live in another country?

5. Define the term ‘open mind’. What does it mean? Why does UNHCR ask that
people keep an open mind and a smile of welcome?

Definition of a Refugee (from the UN Refugee Agency)

A refugee is defined as "a person who owing to a well-founded fear of being

persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular
social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of their nationality, and is
unable to or,owing to such fear, is unwilling to remain in that country" according
to the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.

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 Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Activities
Vocabulary for today`s lesson:

UNHCR UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UN agency agency

devoted to protecting and supporting refugees)
Overwhelming extremely
Conclude draw meaning that
Deport send (someone) out of a country
Map out plan (e.g. a career or life)
Civil war war between parts of the same country
Vouchers tokens that can be spent on a good or service e.g. discount

voucher

Studio flat one roomed flat (apartment)

Indefinite no pre-determined limit
Desolate without (e.g. material possessions, or joy)
Detain hold someone in custody temporarily
“in the shadows” hidden from the view of the general public
Outrage disgust at an injustice
Resilience ability to `keep going` in spite of a bad situation
Significance importance

Your basic rights are set out in the

Human Rights Act 1998 as follows
 to life
 the prohibition of torture
 the prohibition of slavery and
forced labour
 to liberty and security
 to a fair trial
 not to be held guilty of a criminal offence which did not exist in law at the time
at which it was committed
 to privacy, family life, home and correspondence
 to freedom of thought, conscience and religion
 to freedom of expression
 to freedom of assembly and association
 to marry
 to protection of property
 to education
 to free elections
 to the rights and freedoms set out above without discrimination on any ground.
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B: Individual Reading Questions:

I. Read Figure 1: Article from British Tabloid

1. How many people were surveyed?

2. Out of those polled, how many think the Human Rights Act is being taken
advantage of? Who is taking advantage?

3. Who did the research?

4. What percentage of people think there is a lack of shared values in Britain? How
many people thought we don’t respect each other enough?

5. What negative side-effects do some people think the Human Rights Act has
caused in Britain?

II. Read Figure 2: Thanks For My Life Free From Terror: A Real Asylum Seeker

1. What country did Selima flee from?

2. At what age did the Somalian conflict break out?

3. When did she manage to escape? Where did she finally end up?

4. She was based in London, but was very sad… where did she visit, that changed
her outlook? In what way did her mood change?

Now in pairs please take two minutes to look at one picture each from Reading
Materials pg. 3, 4, 5) and discuss the images. Present the painting to the class and
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 Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Activities
tell us about the artist and the painting.

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 Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Activities
Please split into two groups, A and B.

III. Skim-read Figure 6: Refugees in Japan

1. How many people appeal to Japan for refuge each year?

2. How long does the charity say it takes for a visa to be granted?

IV. Group A please read Figure 7: “Story of a Man From Burma”

Group B read Figure 8: “Eri’s Opinion”

Assign a `secretary` to note down answers and present the piece to the class. Use
the questions below as a guide:

Group A:
 When did he flee to Japan? Why?
 What happened to him when he was in Japan?

Group B:
 How did she learn about refugees?
 What is her dream?
 What responsibilities does she think she has?

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 Refugees and Asylum Seekers: Activities

C: Japanese public opinion

Pair Questions:
How do Japanese people see the refugees they see on news stories on TV and in
newspapers? Do you know of any refugees in your area?

What rights and responsibilities do free nations have regarding asylum seekers? On
the other hand, what rights and responsibilities do refugees have?

Finally!!!!

There is a film festival in Japan in June (Figure 9).

 What is it celebrating?

 How is Angelina Jolie involved with UNHCR?

 What role does she say film can play in the matter?