Diss is proud to be part of the national City of Sanctuary movement. For almost 20 years the movement has maintained the vision that the UK will be a welcoming place of safety for all and proud to offer sanctuary to any who need it. ‘From small acts of kindness to big political change, this inclusive movement is building a better, fairer, kinder society – for everyone’ (City of Sanctuary UK Impact report 2023).
Diss has a long history of welcoming people fleeing violence and persecution, including religious oppression, antisemitism and war. Last year over 150 local people countered a planned far-right protest about the housing of refugees in the Park Hotel.
Following that, a meeting was organised by Norwich City of Sanctuary in the town. Over 40 people attended and a steering group formed. A second meeting was held in the spring with a similar attendance. Work streams have been formed including faith, arts and green spaces. Similar networking activities are being explored in education. In June four films about refugee experiences were shown at the Corn Hall. An article about Diss Town of Sanctuary was written for the Diss Express to mark refugee week.
Much work was already going on at the library, within local DesignerMaker21 creative arts groups and among the town’s chapels and churches. We want to enhance this through networking, educational work and standing in solidarity with those most in need of our support. We have involved over 70 local residents, many local organisations (both political and non-political, faith and no faith) and the wider support of Norwich City of Sanctuary and those working within the library and council services.
We aim to build further across the next year focusing on:
o more direct involvement of those needing sanctuary
o further developing existing and new work streams
o formally establishing ourselves within the wider national sanctuary movement
o working closely with those pursuing similar objectives and visions, like the new Diss Stand Up to Racism group and the planned 28 September unity event
o building our website (diss.cityofsanctuary.org) into a useful hub for what is going on and what is needed in Diss and the surrounding area
o a local celebration and awards event in 2025 celebrating the work so many are doing here in Diss.
If you want to join us, or hear about our activities, email [email protected] with your name and contact details. If you have any particular interests or talents you could bring, it would be great to mention that too. Anyone willing to help maintain and update our website is particularly welcome.