BY NICOLA DZIADKIEWICZ

MELBOURNE — Colour My World is an art exhibition being held to support asylum seekers who are without work rights, Medicare or social security benefits.

Hundreds of displaced and distressed people, who have been granted a bridging visa while seeking asylum in Australia, have no housing, income or access to welfare. This is resulting in homelessness, hunger and untreated illness.

Asylum seekers seek definition as refugees so that they can stay, work and make a life in this country. They pay us the compliment of imagining that this is a decent place to be. It is not easy to leave everything and start again. They have escaped persecution for reasons of race, religion, nationality, politics or social.

Countries like Australia are legally bound to provide protection for people who can prove they have a well founded fear of persecution.

The funds raised from the sale of items in Colour My World will be donated to the Asylum Seeker Project at Hotham Mission who provide a comprehensive framework of support including housing, basic living assistance and referrals for around 240 asylum seekers.

Colour My World is showing at the Axiom Gallery, 345 Victoria Street, North Melbourne. until March 1.

From Green Left Weekly, February 26, 2003.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.

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