‘It could happen to anyone’: Asylum seekers in Hong Kong set to share their stories at British Council performance

Four refugees from Africa and Asia will each perform a monologue in a bid to raise awareness of the plight of thousands across the globe

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British Council editorial director Anna Esaki-Smith organised the performance. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Published: 9:53pm, 11 Nov 2017Updated: 11:19am, 12 Nov 2017

Images of thousands of anonymous faces fleeing conflict on boats or by foot have become all too common in recent years. But the world rarely hears their individual stories.

On Wednesday, four refugees from Africa and Asia living in Hong Kong will share their personal tales in a performance named The Refugee Monologues – Voices of the Displaced at the British Council.

The monologues were coordinated by Anna Esaki-Smith, an American researcher living in Hong Kong, who found her way of empowering asylum seekers by teaching them English and exploring different ways of telling their stories. The production, she said, is an attempt to raise awareness of the current refugee crisis around the world, create a greater sense of community and show that anyone can become an asylum seeker.

“Hong Kong welcomes international people in general, but for asylum seekers and refugees – as it happens everywhere – there is often a chilly reception. I would like to emphasise the universality of being an asylum seeker,” she said.

“Everyone can relate to those themes of isolation, leaving home, the unknown, not feeling welcome. Everyone feels that at some point.”

The performance, set to run from 12.30pm to 2pm, will include four monologues, each about a different theme. It will be followed by a question-and-answer session.