A picnic is planned for one of York’s busy city centre squares on Monday (February 20).
York For Europe is organising a ‘bring and share picnic’ for St Helen’s Square from noon-2pm.
It marks One Day Without Us, a national movement which celebrates the contribution of migrants in the UK – and makes clear that the country could not go even one day without their input.
You can learn more about the event here.
York dependent on visitors
Emilie Knight from York For Europe said our city had more cause to be grateful than most to incomers. She said:
The local economy is dependent on both the visitors that come here and those who choose to stay to help to sustain our community.
She added that we have two universities “which rely on being an attractive option to students from all countries”.
Tolerant and welcoming
Organisers are encouraging everyone to take some time out of their day to take part. In this way people who have settled here from both the European Union and further afield can share the picnic with British-born residents.
“We ask everyone to celebrate the many benefits that immigrants and EU nationals bring to this country. We want to show that York is the tolerant and welcoming community that we know it to be.”
One Day Without Us comes as a petition to rescind President Trump’s invitation to a state visit to Britain is debated in Parliament, following his ban on migrants from seven mostly Muslim countries from entering the US.
It also follows a spike in verbal and physical attacks on migrants a the UK recent months.