FIRST Minister Humza Yousaf will this week help to launch a new campaign highlighting the positive aspects of migration.
Migration Making Scotland Great is a partnership between Migrant Voice, Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC) and IMIX designed to celebrate migration across the UK.
The launch will take place at Glasgow’s City Chambers on Thursday. It will begin with the screening of a video message of support from Yousaf and speakers will include the SNP councillor for Greater Pollok, Bailie Roza Salih, and Queen of the South manager Marvin Bartley.
They will be joined by notable figures from the worlds of sport, football and the refugee and migrant sector.
Using education, facts and sporting role models, the initiative aims to challenge and address many of the myths surrounding migrants and celebrate the contribution made by New Scots. Sport is known as an area that transcends barriers, builds friendship and trust and positively affects opinions and perceptions.
The campaign will take learning from SRtRC’s current education programme and IMIX’s sector expertise in narrative change, with Migrant Voice providing contributions from people with lived experience.
Former Hibernian, Bournemouth and Burnley midfielder Bartley said: “The ongoing demonising of migrants from all walks of life is totally unjustified and unnecessary.
“Throughout my footballing career I have been in dressing rooms that are truly multinational. We live and breathe football together and we all show a genuine interest in finding out more about each other’s backgrounds, cultures and the journeys travelled. We have 49 different nationalities playing in Scotland. That is a cause for celebration and long may it continue.”
Salih (below), who is Scotland’s first councillor with a refugee background, said: “Glasgow has a proud reputation as a place of culture and diversity. We also recognise the power of sport that teaches us to work in a team and in turn learn how to work with others to achieve a goal.”
Nazek Ramadan, director at Migrant Voice, said: “We are immensely proud to be partners with Show Racism the Red Card and IMIX on this incredibly important project.
“As sport shows, immigration, and the diversity it brings, makes our country stronger and more dynamic. We are one team and as a team we all stand together.”
SRtRC chief executive Ged Grebby said: “SRtRC has a long track record of working with both Gary Lineker and Migrant Voice on a series of films to combat racism towards asylum seekers, refugees and migrants.
“We are proud to stand in solidarity with refugees and work with our partners to change the narrative around immigration being a negative for our society. The opposite is true: immigration makes Scotland great, and we should be celebrating that.”
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