In this week’s episode, hosts Isabel and Maddy dig out the real stories behind the headlines, listening to first-hand accounts and speaking to members of key Cambridge organisations working to aid the situation. 

The hosts talk to Cambridge Alumnus Milan Vrućinić about his experience as a refugee, fleeing Bosnia and Herzegovina as a child. (01:09).

Tigs Louis-Puttick, founder of Cambridge Must Act (a city charter of Europe Must act), details the work organisations are doing to urge European governments to evacuate the overcrowded and unsafe refugee camps on the Aegean Islands. (03:03).

Newnham fresher Soraya outlines how she believes Cambridge University can become more accommodating to refugees. (08:03).

Also the community officer for the Cambridge Refugee Scholarship, Tigs discusses how the scholarship is helping to overcome the educational barriers faced by refugees, and welcome them into the university.  (10:02).

Tiara Sahaar Ataii and Alexa Netty tell the hosts about the clothing line SolidariTee, which raises money for the legal aid of refugees in Greece and campaigns to challenge perceptions of refugees. (20:03).

Finally, Switchboard speaks to Cambridge Labour MP, Daniel Zeichner, about how the vitriolic rhetoric surrounding refugees has crept into the media and government in recent years, and what can be done to challenge the government on this stance. (26:55).

For more information on how to get involved with Cambridge Must Act, check out their Facebook page here. 

To find out more about the Cambridge Refugee Scholarship Website, visit their website: https://camrefugeecampaign.org/

You can support SolidariTee’s work by purchasing a t-shirt here.  

Switchboard is Varsity’s flagship podcast. Episodes are released every Friday on all major podcasting apps via Anchor. Transcripts of all episodes are available via this link.

The Cambridge community is now spread across the UK and around the world, but Switchboard is here to keep you connected. Every episode connects you to an eclectic array of voices and sounds, from Cambridge and beyond...