From Expulsion to Settlement: The Ugandan Asian Story

Event Description

A collection of presentations by academics and community members exploring the Ugandan Asian experience

This joint event between Navrang Arts and the University of Leicester aims to explore the breadth of the Ugandan Asian experience from both an academic and ‘lived’ perspective. By the end of the event, the audience and participants will have a broader understanding of the both the ‘mechanics’ of the expulsion from Uganda and resettlement in the UK as well as real-life impacts and challenges as told by those who experienced them.

Audience members will also be given opportunities to share their own experiences of migration as part of the day.

Introduction: 

11 - 11:15 

Housekeeping and Welcome to the day by Navrang and UoL representatives. 

Session 1: Academic Perspectives 

11:15 - 12:45 

The opening sessions will feature presentations by academic experts on aspects of the Ugandan story. 

Saima Nasar, Lecturer in the History of Africa and its Diasporas at the University of Bristol, will speak on the process of expulsion, and the settlement of Ugandan Asians in Britain 

Bernard Ryan is Professor of Migration Law at the University of Leicester, and will speak on the legal and policy dimensions to the Ugandan Asian Crisis. 

Gurharpal Singh is Emeritus Professor in History, Religions and Philosophies at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London, and Honorary Visiting Fellow in the School of History at the University of Leicester.  He will speak on the arrivals from Uganda in the context of South Asian settlement in Leicester. 

Lunch for Invited Guests 

12:45 – 1:30 

Audience members encouraged to utilise the museum’s café or nearby alternatives along New Walk.

From East to West Project 

1:30 – 1:40  

A few words about the ‘History of Ugandan Asians Oral History Project’ from Max Russel, Social Researcher for the project, and Fiyaz Mughal OBE FCMI, Founder and Director of the community interest company, Faith Matters. 

Session 2: Community Perspectives 

1:40 – 2:50 

In response to the themes highlighted in session 1, our Ugandan Asian panellists (each accomplished leaders in their respective fields), will explore and compare the lived experience of those who were expelled from Uganda in 1972, the struggles they faced upon arrival and the challenges overcome in the succeeding fifty years. 

Panellists: 

Professor Shushma Patel (Chair) - In addition to being the Pro Vice Chancellor of Student Experience at De Montfort University, Professor Patel is also the Pro Vice Chancellor and Dean of the University’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and Media. 

Birju Ghelani -In 1994, Mr Ghelani founded St George’s Nursery as a family business to support his own children’s needs. The company now has award-winning St George’s Nursery schools across the city and county providing high-quality care and learning experiences for young children of all backgrounds. 

Rita Hindocha MBE - A respected educator, Rita has taught in Leicester schools for more than three decades. A lot of her career has been at Rushey Mead Academy, which has retained its Ofsted outstanding status since 2007. Currently, she is Executive Principal at Rushey Mead Academy and also Principal at Leicester’s newest secondary, Brook Mead Academy. As a child, she fled with her family from Uganda and arrived in the UK in 1972, aged nine. 

Jaffa Kapasi OBE - With extensive experience as Managing Director of his own accountancy practice and as a Board member in a number of organisations, Mr Kapasi is currently the Consul General of the Republic of Uganda to the Midlands, Director of Home Come Ltd, founder member and patron of the Leicester Asian Business Association. 

Closing Remarks

2:50 – 3:00 

This event is co-organised by Navrang Arts and by the University of Leicester, in support of the Rebuilding Lives: 50 Years of Ugandan Asians in Leicester exhibition.

It is the final event in the ‘Migration and Making of Leicester’ series organised by research groups on migration and diversity based at the University of Leicester. Full details of that series may be found at https://le.ac.uk/migration-making-leicester.

Further programme details to follow.

Free event. Limited places, advance booking recommended.

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