Lecture – Refugee rights in the twenty-first century

Refugee rights in the twenty-first century

Peter Widlinski (Justice First)

Pete Widlinski is the Communications Manager for Justice First. He has worked with refugees for over 25 years and has been involved with Race Relations issues for over 30. Previously he was a manager at the North of England Refugee Service.  For several years he has been a director and trustee of charities involved with asylum and refugee rights, including Justice First, The Methodist Asylum Project, the Mary Thompson Fund (current Chair) and a founding member of the North East Coalition for Asylum and Refugee Rights.  He is a director of Show Racism the Red Card, an executive committee member of Tyne and Wear Anti-Fascist Association and a former vice chair of the National Coalition of Anti Deportation Campaigns. He is an active trade unionist and currently vice president of Cleveland Trades Councils, a    member of the North East Humanists and Ryedale Natural History Society.  In his spare time he rides a motorcycle and plays African drums (but not at the same time).  He is an amateur beekeeper, part time tractor driver, developing a wildflower meadow and a small area of woodland, and renovating an off-grid derelict cottage to develop a sustainable, low environmental-impact lifestyle.