A BRADFORD charity will host an event to "educate and inspire" this weekend, bringing together people from different communities across the district.

AROUK, an organisation which supports the Rohingya community, will host the event at Delius Arts and Cultural Centre as part of the month-long Platforma Festival.

Mohammed Amin is the co-founder and international director of AROUK. He moved to Bradford in 2012, after growing up in a refugee camp in Bangladesh.

He said: "We are absolutely delighted to be part of the fantastic Platforma Festival, through Artworks Creative Communities.

"We think this is an opportunity for people from different cultures and backgrounds to come together and share their support. It also gives us all a chance to learn about Rohingya culture.

"The event will allow us to raise awareness of ongoing persecutions across the world, to share refugees' success stories to inspire others and to assert that refugees are human too, and they can be anything if you allow them to be safe and welcome.

"It will also help people to understand the harsh reality that refugees have to overcome - the unimaginable horror and trauma. We also want to remind people to not forget the Rohingya people, who are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world."

As part of the event, the documentary 'I am Rohingya' - which follows the journey of young Rohingya people in Canada - will be shown.

Deb Collett, Project Coordinator at Artworks Creative Communities, said: "We are so pleased to have secured the licence to show this film. It shows the importance of expressing who you are, individually and collectively.

"We are having a raffle with great prizes too, but most importantly, it is a chance for people to get together safely and show their support."

The role of young people will also be highlighted, as the screening will be followed by young members of AROUK who have been to Cox’s Bazar - a refugee camp in Bangladesh which is home to 1.2 million Rohingya Muslims - sharing their experiences.

They will also explain how donations will be used to help the children there.

It has been reported that Bradford has the largest Rohingya community in Europe, with an estimated 600 people, many of whom arrived through the City of Sanctuary scheme from 2009 onwards.

Many of these people still have friends and family trapped in refugee camps, including Amin, whose own parents have been stuck there for decades.

"AROUK is a local community organisation, but at the same time, we have a global reach and ambition to give hope to those children in camps who are part of a 'lost generation' without a meaningful education. It is so important that the Rohingya are not forgotten", Amin said.

"Over the last ten years or so, the Rohingya community here in Bradford has been resilient, vibrant, committed and outward looking. During Covid-19, we were focused on helping and supporting communities with food parcels, PPE, vaccine information and education.

"Now, we are embarking on our first major live fundraising event in Bradford, to provide education to children in refugee camps.

"We believe in a safe place where everyone has equal rights and access to basic needs. As an organisation, our mission is to help people in need and protect their rights, as well as building a better future for them through education.

"We aim to transform the lives of refugee children through quality education, and to create opportunities for them to be productive and responsible in society.

"We want to raise awareness and funds, but also to share what our people and culture are all about. So, we are bringing our exhibition and also preparing a traditional home-cooked meal for everyone to enjoy.

"You will be able to donate in cash or online at the event. If you can’t make it on the day, go to @AROUK09 or www.thearouk.org to donate."

Saturday's event will run from 3pm to 7.30pm. For more information, email deborah@artworkscreative.org.uk.