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For those who find refuge or asylum in the UK, the need for support doesn't go away once citizenship is granted.
It's well known that integration is a hard process, one that appears to have gotten harder in recent years. But it's often overlooked that finding a base of people with similar experiences, shared beliefs and backgrounds in a city as vast as London is extremely hard work. But an interesting new initiative is aiming to help immigrant integration by using the power of those two great friends – movies and food.
Welcome Cinema is a new, cross-cultural event celebrating film, food and friends. Their monthly screenings not only show films, but also offer Q&A discussions afterward with the talent behind the movies. Their first outing involves a screening of 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom' followed by a discussion between writer William Nicholson, director Justin Chadwick and producer David M Thompson.
But perhaps most special is the food – home-cooked cuisine from Syria, Ivory Coast, Somalia, Iraq and Iran is promised, which is covered by the £12.50 ticket. The aim of the event is for newcomers to come together and also meet those who have always called London home. It's hard to imagine a better setting for this to happen than over food and a flick.
Welcome Cinema takes place on Tuesday October 11 at Amnesty International, EC2A 3EA. Tickets are available here.