The Museum Without A Home, an award-winning exhibition of ‘the kindness of strangers’ created by Oxfam and Amnesty International – opened yesterday at Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge.
The objects on display include a kettle, a toy car, some colouring books– items that are mundane but meaningful for the refugees who were given them by welcoming people in a strange new country.
The exhibition was originally shown in Athens last year and has since been displayed in New York, Belfast, Belgrade and Ottawa. It has now gained a number of objects donated by people in the UK to recently arrived refugees.
Oxfam and Amnesty International UK are hoping the exhibition will raise awareness of the need to change the unfair and restrictive rules that prevent refugees in the UK from reuniting here with their families.
Miriam Quinn, a 21 -year-old Social and Political Sciences student and Oxfam campaigner, said: "With something on the scale of the current refugee crisis, it can be easy as an individual to feel overwhelmed by the challenges presented. For me that is the most striking aspect of The Museum Without a Home- it demonstrates the major effect that small acts of kindness can have on the lives of strangers. It serves as a powerful reminder of the important role we can all play in shaping the world we want to see- whether that's welcoming refugees into our communities or campaigning for change”.
UK government rules only allow adult refugees to be reunited with their partner and children younger than 18. This means that a brother or sister over the age of 18 may not be eligible to join their parents and siblings in the UK. Refugee children living in the UK alone can’t bring their parents to join them.
Miriam added: “Next month, we have an exciting opportunity to create a major change: MPs in Parliament will debate a new Bill, which if implemented would allow refugees in the UK to be reunited with their families, helping them to build a new life for themselves surrounded by the people they love. That's why we're calling on our local MPs to play their part in turning this bill into law. We're inviting everyone to join us in calling for their MP to attend and vote for the bill on 16 March, and if you're a student, you can write to your MP at home as well!"
The Museum Without A Home will be exhibited at Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge until 13th February 2018.
The Museum Without A Home won the European Excellence Award in Brussels last year.