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| A show of creativity by members of the ethnic communities being honored |
Art and music came to life on Saturday, June 24, during celebrations marking the second International Refugee Day to be held in Hong Kong, as well as the International Domestic Workers Day.
For three fun
and pulsating hours, all the worries that members of the two most vulnerable
sectors of society often face were set aside, and gave way to a mix of song,
dance, story telling, stand-up comedy act, and even a fashion show that kept
spirits up in Kowloon Union Church in Jordan.
The show capped
six days of remembering the struggles, as well as the contributions, of the
refugee and domestic worker communities in Hong Kong.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE! |
Refugee Day fell
on June 20, while Domestic Workers Day was on June 16. Both events were celebrated with a community
art exhibition on June 19-24, followed by the community art show on the last
day.
Organizers say
the activities were meant to promote cross-cultural inclusivity through arts,
culture and education.
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| Amador says refugees are as talented as any other people in HK |
One of them, Racquel Amador, said in an interview: “We have men and women who come to Hong Kong to seek protection because they fear they might suffer torture, or feel their life might be in danger. But that’s not all they are. They are human beings who have a multitude of interests, just like any other people.”
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
Emphasizing the
message was Ame from East Africa, who shared in the story-telling part of the
show how fast attitudes towards him changed as soon as he disclosed during a
meeting that he was a refugee.
But with the plight
of refugees now becoming a global concern, he said he was hopeful that their
situation would improve soon.
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| Marites tells the story of how her memory has played tricks on her |
Providing a
light-hearted approach to the art of telling tales was Filipina domestic worker
Marites Palma, who spoke of two incidents in her life when she suddenly forgot
what she was meant to say in front of an audience.
But in the latest incident, just as she
was about to blank out totally as she was speaking about the group she founded, Social Justice for Migrant
Workers, a member stepped in to tell a related story, and the gathering quickly
turned into a sharing event.
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| EXTENDED TO JUNE 30!! |
Towards the end,
she asked, “And why I am talking about these events now? It’s because I want to
find out if I can still remember the stories,” to the delight of the audience.
Afterwards, Palma said in an interview that like refugees, domestic workers also have skills and talents
that they want to show to the world.
The show also included a parade of colorful and innovative outfits modeled by refugees, migrant workers and their supporters, which drew attention to the unique artistry and culture of those who have left their countries to seek a better life elsewhere.
A medley of
songs from a group of young refugees called “Named for God” gave new meaning to
some old hits, particularly “Both Sides Now,” which the hosts said spoke of how
clouds can bring joy, as well as sadness, to people.
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The kids were said
to have been given the unique name as their own names all had a
religious ring to them, such as Angelica, David, Faith and Bright.
John, a stand-up comedian, threw some thought-provoking questions to the audience, like why some unfortunate situations or events like being a refugee or domestic worker are celebrated.
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| BASAHIN DITO |
But as he
philosophically said in the end, if Christians can celebrate what should be one
of their faith’s saddest events, then there should be no reason why those who
seek safer or greener pastures outside their home countries couldn't be given tribute.
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| PADALA NA! |
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