Oxfam Cymru and Oxfam Afghanistan are jointly supporting an event in the company of Afghan author Gulwali Passarlay at this year’s Hay Festival.

Passarlay left Afghanistan at the age of 12 years after his father was killed, setting off on a life-threatening journey across Europe. He eventually arrived in Britain, and now, ten years later, he’s reading Politics and International Relations at the University of Manchester. He has written a book about his experience called The Lightless Sky: an Afghan refugee boy’s journey of escape to a new life in Britain, which he will be discussing at the festival on Saturday 4th June in conversation with journalist and author Oliver Bullough.

Passarlay’s harrowing story echoes those of thousands of other people across the world who have been forced to flee their homes because of violence, persecution or poverty. There are currently over 60 million displaced people in the world. Oxfam works in both Afghanistan and Wales to support refugees.

Oxfam Afghanistan have recently been supporting Khost refugees from Pakistan who arrived in the country following a military operation carried out by the government of Pakistan in late 2015, which led to the displacement of hundreds of people. This support constituted winter kits including blankets, winter coats, heating stoves, fire wood and plastic tarpaulin, and hygiene kits including soap, towels, tooth brushes and female hygiene products.

Closer to home, Oxfam Cymru is also campaigning on this issue, calling for Wales to become an official Nation of Sanctuary.

Carys Mair Thomas, Head of Oxfam Cymru, explains: “Wales has a proud tradition of welcoming families in need and Oxfam Cymru now wants to see Wales become an official Nation of Sanctuary. This is a small but significant part that we can play in the global response to the refugee crisis.

“We’re running two initiatives at this year’s Hay Festival. We are asking festival-goers to have their photo taken in our welcoming hillside located outside the Oxfam Bookshop, and then sharing the photos on social media using #NationofSanctuary. People visiting Hay on Wye itself can also support our campaign by writing a letter of welcome to refugees arriving in Wales, and posting them in a special post box at the Oxfam shop on High Town Street.

“We have already seen an outpouring of support for refugees here in Wales, so let’s keep up the momentum. Let’s make sure that each family coming to Wales – people who have fled terrible violence and destruction - arrive to a warm welcome and a safe place they can call home.”