UNESCO Chair on Refugee Integration through Education, Language and Arts

1 December 2022

Let's start our calendar in style with stories by the fire at the Scottish Crannog Centre. Last year we spent a delightful, albeit slightly rainy, weekend at the Crannog Centre in Kenmore, Scotland, sharing and listening to songs and stories. Fires were lit, wooly jumpers were shared, stew was made. We managed to capture some of the magic of the weekend and are passing this on to you now on the first day of our advent calendar. Enjoy!

The full show notes for this podcast episode can be found here.

2 December 2022

For those of you who celebrate Christmas, especially those with children, a wee treat from Hollie McNish. Handpicket by our colleague Sadie Ryan.

3 December 2022

4 December 2022

Today we give you a painting by Robert McNeil, called ’The Persistence of Memory’.

The narrative:

It is estimated that up to 50,000, mainly Muslim women, suffered extreme sexual violence during the conflict in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many of the women were systematically and repeatedly raped by Bosnian Serb soldiers and paramilitaries. It was used as a cheap but effective and devastating weapon of war. They were then forced to carry their babies to full-term “to dilute their Muslim blood.” 

This painting highlights the silence surrounding these violent crimes that soldiers felt they could commit with impunity. The snow, and therefore the evidence, will soon be gone, but not the night terrors and mental health issues that may never fade for the victims. The tangled forest represents escape was impossible. 

Bakira Hasečić’s story inspired McNeil to paint this picture. In 1992, the local police chief, along with Bosnian Serb soldiers, entered her home. They placed the family under house arrest, repeatedly raped Bakira and her eldest daughter and robbed them of their savings. The soldiers then slashed her daughter’s face, and they were left for dead. 

Bakira, despite constant threats, has dedicated her life to the Association of Women Victims of War to help bring the perpetrators of war rape in Bosnia and Herzegovina to justice and to support other victims.

Robert McNeil is a UNESCO RILA Affiliate Artist. For more information about him and his work, please visit his artist profile.

EXHIBITION

Robert is currently exhibiting his work in an exhibition called:

FLIPSIDE:
Noun. another, less familiar aspect of a person or thing, the flipside of fame

3-17 December 2022

Tue / Wed / Fri / Sat 12-5
Thu 12-6
and by appointment 

UNLIMITED STUDIOS
25 Hyndland Street
Glasgow G11 5QE

For more information, please visit https://www.iotaarts.space/flipside

McNeil is predominantly known for his images and charity work relating to the difficult subjects of genocide, rape and war. 'Flipside' shifts the focus on this artist to a joyous collection of rich and varied work, showing his versatility and humour, including works that are available and works on loan from private collections.

6 December 2022

Wondering what to give your loved ones for Christmas? Don't worry, we've got you covered. Another good book recommendation: Sarah Thomas' book The Raven's Nest. It's a book about Iceland, about identity, language, the land we live on/in and how to live during a time of man's destruction of the planet. Fascinating read!

In this episode, Erdem Avşar, Nerea Bello and Piki Diamond talk to Sarah Thomas about her time in Ireland and the writing of the book.

View biographies of the speakers and a glossary of the words and concepts Piki teaches us.

7 December 2022

Today we managed to convince Affiliate Artist Erdem Avşar to give us the recipe to his phenomenal Turkish Style Super Velvety Lentil Soup. Perfect for on a cold day.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Serves: 6-7 servings

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion
1 large carrot
1 large potato
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1.5 cups of red lentils
6 cups of freshly boiled water
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons chili flakes
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon (or lime) juice 

For the hot tomato/oil sauce (optional)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons of Aleppo pepper (or chili flakes instead) 

Instructions

1. Coarsely chop the onion, the carrot, and the potato

2. Heat olive oil (preferably EVOO) in a pot and sauté the onion

3. When the onions are golden, add in the carrots and cook for 1-2 minutes

4. Add the potatoes in and cook for another couple of minutes.

5. Add in the tomato paste and a give it a good stir – cook for 1-2 minutes.

6. Season with salt, black pepper, and chili flakes.

7. Add in the red lentils – another good stir should mix everything.

8. Pour in 6 cups of freshly boiled water and stir for a minute on high heat. This is a thick (and creamy) soup – almost like dal. Feel free to use 7-8 cups of water if you are making this as an appetizer or if you like lighter soups.

9. When it comes to a rolling boil, lower the heat and cover the pot but leave the lid slightly open.

10. Cook it for 35-40 minutes stirring occasionally. Make sure that the carrots and the potatoes are softened.

11. Remove from heat and transfer the soup to a blender – whizz for 30 seconds to a minute until it is smooth. Whizz it for 2 minutes if you like your soup super smooth. You can skip this step entirely if you would like to keep it chunky.

12. Transfer the soup into bowls and add in the lemon (or lime) juice.

Hot tomato/oil sauce for an extra peppery kick:

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan.

2. Mince the garlic cloves and cook until golden.

3. Add the Aleppo pepper (or chili flakes) and the tomato paste and cook for a minute.

4. The oil is going to get a bit reddish (thanks to the tomato paste and the Aleppo pepper) and that is your cue to remove the sauce from the heat.

5. Pour the oil over the soup.

Enjoy!

8 December 2022

Black Night, White Stars

Wartime is suffered under the seasons.
Clear skies witnessing to winter. 

No mist on amber forest this time,
no twisting round the bark
no trees sighing with aching
as they lose their leaves,
or vain listening to sudden springs
for clear answers
to impossible questions. 

But white stars on black night.

The constellations forming with
a constancy and moving as constantly;
the way the dying stars race towards us
never to end their journeys;
the way the stars tug at their planets,
holding each in their orbit,
with a natural power the equal of love. 

White stars on black night. 

A skin stretched across the drum of the sky
vibrating with shining music.
A cloth embroidered with thread,
stolen from a silver crack in time.
A sail on the dark of the deep
charting a passage that trusts to the Pole Star,
the Dog Star
and to Venus rising. 

White stars, black night.

The moon hangs on the horizon, newly born and hungry
Jupiter glides towards her, eager to feed.
The Hunter adjusts his belt
The Great Bear his plough
The Winged Horse canters in circles over head. 

Black night, white stars.

Mars heralds war time.

White night, black stars.

And on the horizon, Spring.

Alison Phipps

9 December 2022

Another recipe for you today, from our colleague Esa Aldegheri:

Salame di Cioccolato

Ingredients

• 300 gr of biscuits like Rich Tea biscuits (not Digestives)
• 150 gr butter, room temperature
• 200 gr dark chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 100 gr sugar
• icing sugar to dust over at the end

10 December 2022

Our colleagues in the New Scots Refugee Integration Delivery Project have written an report that we think is a fitting "gift" for Human Rights Day 2022.

‘The New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy: A report on the local and international dimensions of integrating refugees in Scotland’ is a report written by Professor Alison Phipps, Dr Esa Aldegheri and Dr Dan Fisher. Based on the academic research conducted by the University of Glasgow on the New Scots Refugee Integration Delivery Project (NSRIDP), the report provides a comprehensive presentation of the academic research undertaken over a two-year period (2020 – 2022). It is one of a number of NSRIDP outputs that are intended to inform the development of the third iteration of the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy

The report contains 70 recommendations. This underscores the abundance and importance of the findings from the research. It also demonstrates the seriousness with which participants in the research viewed matters of whole society integration and key structural and practical ways in which improvements can be made, within the devolved context of Scotland.

The report shows that there is much to celebrate in the strength, enthusiasm and commitment to the work of welcoming people who have sought to rebuild their lives in Scotland, but the barriers are also real, and the challenges presented require mitigation. Some of the recommendations are short term and focus on ensuring that good practices can continue to grow and expand. Some are for the longer term and address issues which are affecting much of the population of Scotland, but where those who have arrived as New Scots are particularly at risk. Some of the recommendations also pertain to how we think about, describe and practice the work of integrating over time.

Download the report here.

11 December 2022

 Today we have a very short but warming video for you, sent to us by our PhD candidate Pinar Aksu.

12 December 2022

Today, our PhD student Hope Wang picked a poem and image for you:

問劉十九  

綠蟻新醅酒，紅泥小火爐。
晚來天欲雪，能飲一杯無？

白居易

An Invitation to My Friend Liu

I have some recently fermented wine,
The small terracotta pot stove is warm and inviting.
There's a feeling of snow coming after dark,
Would you like to join me for a drink tonight?

Bai Ju-yi

元人寒林茗話　軸

Drinking and talking together in the wintertime

This Chinese ink and wash painting depicts two friends enjoying their time together in a small house. Many plants, such as pine and bamboo, plantains, strange stones, and white plums, are dotted around the scene. The host and guest drink happily together. It is chilly outside but warm and cosy inside.

13 December 2022

A special message from our colleague Brittnee Leysen:

"May your Christmas tree survive your cat this year"!

14 December 2022

One day late, but if you forgot that yesterday was St Lucia, you can still bake your Gatti di Santa Lucia / Lussekatter / St Lucy’s cats today, with this recipe supplied by Esa Aldegheri.

Waking up with warm sunshine in the dark-cold of December: that’s what it feels like to prepare these.

The 13^th December is the feast of Santa Lucia, whose name comes from the Latin for ‘light’. In Italy, children are given oranges and sweet cakes and they learn “Santa Lucia, Santa Lucia, il giorno più corto che ci sia” (St Lucy, St Lucy, the shortest day of all) (yes, it isn’t actually the shortest day, but the rhyme is good and, well, any excuse for cake). In Sweden, young girls wear crowns of candles and bring sweet cakes to their family. So, brightness and sweetness! Plenty of both in this recipe:

Makes 12

Ingredients:

300 mls milk
75 gr. unsalted butter
0.5 gr saffron threads
500 gr. strong white bread flour
100gr. caster sugar
7 gr. yeast
1tsp salt
egg for glazing

Method:

1. Heat the butter and milk gently until the butter melts (do not let it boil), then add the saffron and mix until it is all dissolved and golden. Leave to cool a bit – you want it lukewarm, not hot, or it will zap the yeast.
2. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt.
3. Make a well in the middle and add the milk. Stir it all in so it makes a sticky dough.
4. Knead for about 10 minutes.
5. Cover and leave in a warm place until doubled in size (about an hour).
6. Knock back the dough gently and divide into 12 equal portion. Roll each portion into a thin sausage shape and then make them into an “S”, curling up the ends into spirals (see photo).
7. Cover the wee golden spirals and leave to prove, until doubled in size. Or you could make these in the evening and leave overnight in the fridge – then you can have them warm for an amazing breakfast.
8. When ready to bake, put a raisin in each spiral and brush with beaten egg. You could add some sugar or crushed cardamom or cinnamon to the glaze.
9. Bake at 180 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Best eaten on the day they are made!

Made some and the look amazing? Tag us in your photos on Instagram and Twitter! 

15 December 2022

Today we give you three free knitting patterns for chocolate orange covers. These are quick and easy, so you should be able to finish them before Christmas if you start now. The original patterns were created by Marianna's Lazy Daisy Days and we highly recommend you have a look at here blog here for more Christmas and/or knitting ideas.

Chocolate Orange Cover ~ Christmas Pudding

DK YARN

3.5mm knitting needles

Using Brown yarn, cast on 43sts

1^st Row:  S1, *k1, p1, repeat from * to the last 2sts, k2

2^nd Row:  S1, *p1, k1, repeat from * to end

Repeat last 2 rows five times more

Change to White yarn

Knit 6 rows

19^th Row: S1, knit to end

20^th Row: S1 purl to last st, K1

Repeat last 2 rows twice more

25^th Row: *K2tog, repeat from * to last st, K1

26^th Row:  P2 tog, to end

Cut yarn, leaving a 'tail' to use for sewing up, draw the end through all stitches, pull up tightly

Add a couple of holy leaves and some red berries:

Holly leaves – makes 2 leaves joined together

Using green yarn cast on 1 stitch

Row 1:       Knit

Row 2:       Knit 3 times into the stitch                              (3sts)

Row 3:       Knit front and back into the first stitch, k1, knit front and back into the last stitch         (5sts)

Row 4:       Cast off 1 stitch, k3                                         (4sts)

Row 5:       Cast off 1 stitch, k2                                         (3sts)

Row 6:  Knit front and back into the first stitch, k1, knit front and back into the last stitch         (5sts)

Row 7:       Cast off 1 stitch, k3                                         (4sts)

Row 8:       Cast off 1 stitch, k2                                         (3sts)

Row 9:       Slip 1 stitch, k2tog, pass slip stitch over           (1st)

Row 10:     Knit 3 times into the stitch                               (3sts)

Row 11:     Knit front and back into the first stitch, k1, knit front and back into the last stitch         (5sts)

Row 12:     Cast off 1 stitch, k3                                         (4sts)

Row 13:     Cast off 1 stitch, k2                                         (3sts)

Row 14:     Knit front and back into the first stitch, k1, knit front and back into the last stitch         (5sts)

Row 15:     Cast off 1 stitch, k3                                         (4sts)

Row 16:     Cast off 1 stitch, k2                                         (3sts)

Row 17:     Slip 1 stitch, k2tog, pass slip stitch over            (1st)

Fasten off

Berry

Using red yarn cast on 3 stitches

Row 1:       Knit in the front and back of every stitch          (6sts)

Row 2:       Purl

Row 3:       Knit

Row 4:       P2tog three times                                          (3sts)

Cast off

Tie cast on and cast off tails together (this pulls the berry together)

Sew leaves and berry on to the top

Fill with a Terry’s Chocolate Orange

Chocolate Orange Cover ~ Santa Hat 

DK YARN

3.5mm knitting needles

Using White yarn, cast on 43sts

Knit 8 rows

Change to Red yarn

Work 12 rows in stocking stitch (1row knit, 1 row purl)

Shape the top:

Row 21:     *K5, k2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1            (37sts)

Rows 22, 24, 26, 28, 30:               S1, purl to last st, k1

Row 23:     *K4, k2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1            (31sts)

Row 25:     *K3, k2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1            (25sts)

Row 27:     *K2, k2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1            (19sts)

Row 29:     *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1            (13sts)

Row 31:     *K2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1                 (7sts)

Cut off yarn, leaving a tail – thread the tail through the remaining 7sts, and pull up tight

Sew up the side seam, using the corresponding colour for each section.

Darn away ends

Add a bobble or a pompom on to the top of the hat

To make a bobble:

Bobble

Using White cast on 3 stitches

Row 1:       Knit in the front and back of every stitch                   (6sts)

Row 2:       Purl

Row 3:       Knit

Row 4:       P2tog three times                                                   (3sts)

Cast off

Fill with a Terry’s Chocolate Orange

Chocolate Orange Cover ~ Snowman

DK YARN

3.5mm knitting needles

Using Red yarn, cast on 43sts

Knit 2 rows

Change to White yarn

Work 12 rows in stocking stitch (1row knit, 1 row purl)

Change to Green yarn

Knit 4 rows

Work 2 rows in stocking stitch

Shape the top:

Row 21:     *K5, k2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1            (37sts)

Rows 22, 24, 26, 28, 30:               S1, purl to last st, k1

Row 23:     *K4, k2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1            (31sts)

Row 25:     *K3, k2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1            (25sts)

Row 27:     *K2, k2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1            (19sts)

Row 29:     *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1            (13sts)

Row 31:     *K2tog, repeat from * to last st, k1                 (7sts)

Cut off yarn, leaving a tail – thread the tail through the remaining 7sts, and pull up tight

Sew up the side seam, using the corresponding colour for each section.

Darn away ends

Add a bobble or a pompom on to the top of the hat (see instructions above)

To add a face:

For the eyes – sew on two small black buttons (or use a length of black yarn)

For the mouth – use a length of black yarn and make 3 or 4 running stitches

For the nose – using a length of orange yarn, cast on 4sts

K4,

K2tog, k2tog,

K2tog,

Fasten off

Sew on the nose, using the cast on and cast off tails

Fill with a Terry’s Chocolate Orange

16 December 2022

To lift your spirits during these dark and cold days, our PhD student Pinar Aksu has picked a song for you. 

It's a song from the '70s by artist Şenay, called Hayat Bayram Olsafrom, from Turkey, and it is about life being a festival with laughter and joy. 

17 December 2022

Something a bit less cheerful today, but important to keep in our minds, especially when doing the work that we do.

18 December 2022

A very special poem today by guest contributer and colleague Nicky Melville:

Image: Wham's Last Christmas sleeve cover

the 25^th of December preceding this one

a synonymous version of Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’

on the 25^th of December preceding this one

I gifted you my cardiovascular system

unfortunately

by the immediate sunrise thereafter

you had decided to rescind said gift

currently

to prevent lacrimation

I will offer it to

a person who is unique

on the 25^th of December preceding this one

I gifted you my cardiovascular system

unfortunately

by the immediate sunrise thereafter

you had decided to rescind said gift

currently

to prevent lacrimation

I will offer it to

a person who is unique

unique

at one point raw

after an attack by a mouth and teeth that broke the skin

and doubly timid

I retain a sizeable space between us both

but you continue to arrest my ocular attention

inform me, young one

is it possible you are familiar with my mien?

fair enough, twelve months have accrued

and it fails to give me a shock

(Complements of the season!)

I enclosed it in festive paper

and conveyed it by Royal Mail

with a handwritten message

on a slip of paper

that intimated

I was enamoured with your person

I sincerely intended it

at this current time I understand

I have acted as a nincompoop

however

if you were to press your lips

on some part of my face

at this current moment

I believe you would

pull the wool over my oculars once more 

on the 25^th of December preceding this one

I gifted you my cardiovascular system

unfortunately

by the immediate sunrise thereafter

you had decided to rescind said gift

currently

to prevent lacrimation

I will offer it to

a person who is unique

on the 25^th of December preceding this one

I gifted you my cardiovascular system

unfortunately

by the immediate sunrise thereafter

you had decided to rescind said gift

currently

to prevent lacrimation

I will offer it to

a person who is unique

unique

a chockers chamber

acquaintances with fatigued peepholes

I am concealing my person from you

and your psyche of frozen water

my supreme being

I had heretofore considered that you

were an individual in which I could place absolute trust

Myself? I suppose I must have been a person

with a clavicle that was easy to spill tears on

a physiognomy upon a paramour

with flames inside his cardiovascular organ

a male beneath a protective structure

however, you rent me asunder

presently

I have chanced upon an authentic attachment

never again

will you make a nincompoop of me

on the 25^th of December preceding this one

I gifted you my cardiovascular system

unfortunately

by the immediate sunrise thereafter

you had decided to rescind said gift

currently

to prevent lacrimation

I will offer it to

a person who is unique

on the 25^th of December preceding this one

I gifted you my cardiovascular system

unfortunately

by the immediate sunrise thereafter

you had decided to rescind said gift

currently

to prevent lacrimation

I will offer it to

a person who is unique

unique

a physiognomy upon a paramour

with flames inside his cardiovascular organ

a male beneath a protective structure 

however, you rent him asunder

perhaps after the passage of another twelve months

I will present it to another human

I’ll present it to another human that’s unique

unique

Nicky Melville

For more of Nicky's work, please visit https://fuckthis1.bandcamp.com/
Not suitable for children or the faint-hearted! 

19 December 2022

Today, we bring you a podcast episode from the snowy far north of Canada.

This fascinating episode was recorded at the Spring School: The Arts of Integrating 2022 - "Our Shared Values" and is a guided workshop that is best done in pairs or small groups, but can also be done individually. In the first half, Saskia de Wildt explores ways to navigate conflicting values and ethics, before leading us on an exploration of our own in the second half. Tools needed: pen and paper. For the full show notes, please check this page.

20 December 2022

Another contribution from our PhD candidate Hope Wang today. She invites you on a 

Grand Tour of Tea (茶遊記)

Click on the invitation to enter. You can change the language to English once you're in the main exhibition.

To accompany this tour, Hope has selected a poem by Lu Tong. For the English translation, please scroll down.

七碗茶 - 盧仝

一碗喉吻潤

兩碗破孤悶

三碗搜枯腸  唯有文字五千卷

四碗發輕汗  平生不平事盡向毛孔散

五碗肌骨清

六碗通仙靈

七碗吃不得也  唯覺兩腋習習清風生

蓬萊山，在何處？  玉川子，乘此清風欲歸去。

Seven Bowls of Tea - Lu Tong

The first bowl moistens my lips and throat;

The second bowl breaks my loneliness;

The third bowl searches my barren entrails but to find

Therein some five thousand scrolls;

The fourth bowl raises a slight perspiration

And all life's inequities pass out through my pores;

The fifth bowl purifies my flesh and bones;

The sixth bowl calls me to the immortals.

The seventh bowl could not be drunk,

only the breath of the cool wind raises in my sleeves.

Where is Penglai Island, Yuchuanzi wishes to ride on this sweet breeze and go back.

21 December 2022

Our friend Kate Tough kindly donated a poem for today, written on the summer solstice and now shared with you on the winter solstice. Enjoy!

22 December 2022

We are staying with the solidarity and love theme, this time from our Affiliate Artist Salma Zulfiqar. Especially relevant after the Rwanda judgement earlier this week. Read more about our reaction to that here.

23 December 2022

One more day to go and we bring you black and red Palestinian embroidery patterns in easy cross-stitch. One small one, which would make a nice decoration for in your Christmas tree, and one bigger one for those seeking more of a challenge.

New to embroidery? Never heard of cross-stitch before? A quick google or this website will get you up to speed soon.

Download Palestinian pattern 1

Download Palestinian pattern 2

These patterns were created with the Pat2Pic pattern creater.

24 December 2022

The UNESCO RILA team and friends wish you all a merry Christmas!

To find out who the speakers are and which language they are speaking, please visit our podcast page.