FINALIST 2026
Britain can feel like a nation of locked doors when you arrive knowing no one. The film explores first tentative moments when someone feels welcomed for the first time. The relief. The transformation.
A community meal, a supporting conversation, a hand held out. Someone lost in the system finds someone who knows the way through.
City of Sanctuary connects local groups - schools, councils, libraries, faith communities - to build practical welcome.
The film captures these moments: doors opening, strangers becoming neighbours, fear turning into belonging.
Because when we build communities that work for people who've lost everything, we build communities that work for everyone.
Welcome changes everything.
Our networks are made up of thousands of ordinary people all around the country who are stepping up to support people seeking sanctuary in our communities.
City of Sanctuary UK coordinates, supports and grows these networks of welcome. From community groups to schools and universities, local councils to libraries and theatres, we work with individuals, groups and organisations in every area and in every sector to encourage inclusivity, solidarity and compassion for people from a forced displacement background.
From coordination, collaboration, practical training and opportunities for people with lived experience of the asylum system, to vital resources and unmissable webinars, we do all we can to support and grow these networks of welcome.
We align with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
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