Why are some refugees erased? Chechen diaspora’s story
- Date
-
Sat 17 May 2025
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
- Venue
- City of Sanctuary
Why can’t some refugees speak freely about their homeland? And how does this lead to disinformation, fuelled by the far-right? You’ll find answers to these questions in the Chechen diaspora – one of the least visible diasporas in Europe.
Chechnya is a small country in the Northern Caucasus that was independent in the 1990s but is now under Russian occupation. The Chechen people survived two genocides in the last 100 years and now have to live under brutal occupation. Chechen refugees in the UK couldn’t speak for themselves because otherwise their families back home would be kidnapped, tortured, and killed.
In this unique event, you’ll meet prominent Chechen activists and take part in a workshop exploring how we can make Sheffield more inclusive for communities for whom it is not safe to speak for themselves.
Accessibility information for City of Sanctuary can be found on AccessAble. If you have any questions regarding accessibility for this event, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].
Fatima Suleimanova is an outspoken activist for Chechen refugee rights. She is one of the most prominent Chechen activists of her generation, and she has had experience participating in Council of Europe sessions. Now she is studying at the Sorbonne in Paris, but she was involved with the Chechen community via a mental health support program that she helped to write for NHS experts. She also met with Sheffield City Council about memorialising the Chechen genocide of 1944 has participated in Migration Matters Festival.
Ali Bakaev is a Chechen TikTok influencer and political activist who now lives in the UK as a refugee. Ali lost both of his parents during the Russian-Chechen war. He also has experience in opposing the local far-right.
Ayman Eckford is a freelance journalist and political expert on the Northern Caucasus who has been living in Sheffield for six years (five years as an asylum seeker). Ayman is an autistic ADHDer and is working with mental health charities and disability communities, so they will speak about intersectionality, mental health and the NHS.
Djamboulat Souleimanov is a historian, philologist, journalist, public and political figure, and leader of the Chechen movement United Force.
