One Last Border: poetry for refugees

Join us for the launch of One Last Border: poetry for refugees; by Hazel Hall, Moya Pacey, Sandra Renew; Ginninderra Press (2015).

Thomas Albrecht, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) will launch the collection, with readings from the authors, Hazel Hall, Moya Pacey, and Sandra Renew, and music from Iranian Oud player Salar. Your MCs for the evening will be Joel Barcham and Andrew Galan.

The entry fee of $5 includes a copy of the book and all profits go to the Canberra Refugee Support.

One Last Border: poetry for refugees was written during the Canberra Poet-A-Thon for Refugees on Saturday, 26 September 2015, at Tilley’s Cafe in Lyneham. The three poets — Hazel Hall, Moya Pacey and Sandra Renew — were writing, writing, writing. They wrote for 7 hours to raise money for Canberra Refugee Support, a non-profit organisation that helps refugees and asylum seekers to become as independent as possible as soon as possible. You can read more about the Poet-A-Thon and their experiences here: https://canberrapoetathon.wordpress.com/

Canberra Refugee Support said of the poets work, ‘In Canberra Refugee Support, our aim is to help asylum seekers and refugees to become as independent as possible as soon as possible. We are not funded by government - so we really value donations. The work of Hazel Hall, Moya Pacey, Sandra Renew and Tikka Wilson on the Poet-A-Thon fundraising event and on this volume, One Last Border, is a magnificent initiative. The funds raised for our clients will help to change their lives. Thank you!'

- Geoff McPherson, President, Canberra Refugee Support. You can find Canberra Refugee Support here: www.actrefugee.org.au

Read more about those launching the book below:

Sandra Renew

From my home in Australia my poetry now raises contemporary issues and questions about war, language, translation, dislocation, border crossings, dissent, gender. As a community poet, I led a poetry writing workshop with fellow poet Denise Burton as part of the Noted! Writers Festival Canberra 2015. https://sandrarenew.wordpress.com/

Hazel Hall

I am a musicologist naturopath, researcher into music medicine, and former lecturer, now turned cafe poet. Sponsored by Australian Poetry and Biginelli Espresso, School of Music Australian National University, as a café poet I organise the SOM Poets who meet on the first and third Fridays of each month at 2.00 pm at Biginelli Espresso. We are group of ekphrastic poets interested in responding to works of art of all forms, and community outreach. http://hazelhallpote.blogspot.com.au/

Moya Pacey

Moya Pacey was born in the UK but has lived in Canberra since 1978. Her poetry has been published in journals, newspapers and magazines in Australia and overseas and has won prizes. In 2006, she was selected for a Macquarie Bank Longlines poetry masterclass and went to Varuna Writers House with five other poets. The Wardrobe, her first collection, was runner-up for the ACT Poetry Prize in 2010. Her poetry has featured on ACTION buses in Canberra, and in 2011 she won the Elizabeth Bishop Centenary Writing Competition Nova Scotia and was shortlisted for the Frogmore Poetry Prize UK.

Salar

Salar Ayoubi is an Iranian Oud (Lute) player who immigrated to Australia in 2001. Salar plays Tar, Setar and diverse range of Persian drums as well however in the Iranian Musician directory book (Bargi az Bag) published 2001 he was recognised as one of the top three lute players in Iran and this is the instrument recognised as his main instrument.

Thomas Albrecht

Mr. Thomas Albrecht is the Regional Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) based in Canberra, with geographical responsibility for 16 Pacific countries. Mr. Albrecht’s role is to work with governments and other partners to ensure all persons of concern to UNHCR, including refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons, receive protection, assistance and durable solutions to their plight. He is also keen to promote long-term cooperation on the protection of persons of concern in the region, and to increase understanding and support for refugees worldwide.