City of Sanctuary Award bid dropped by Highland Council after concerns of ‘virtue signalling’

Highland councillors have dropped plans to award the region with ‘sanctuary’ designation for refugees after concerns were raised it was ‘virtue signalling’.

The City of Sanctuary Award is a formal accreditation process that would award the Highlands with the status for three years.

It recognises organisations ‘who go above and beyond to welcome people seeking sanctuary’.

Councillors praised the local authority’s ‘tremendous’ work with refugee resettlement but ultimately did not move ahead with the award.

What did councillors have against the idea?

All of the councillors made it clear they were happy with ongoing work to resettle refugees but some felt it did not need ‘another certificate’.

In his proposal to drop the sanctuary award, Inverness councillor Duncan McDonald said social media had indicated the public would not have a positive reaction.

“Can we achieve the same result by working alongside the scheme without signing up?” he asked.

Mr McDonald previously served as a Major in the Army for 34 years and spoke to councillors of his experience with Army-employed Afghan civilians.

He said: “I went to the front gate in Kabul with my team with full body armour on to bring these people into the camp – I know how scared they were.

“So I understand wholeheartedly what these people go through, what they went through, and what they are suffering now.”

He added: “I would propose that we continue to support the refugees in the manner that we have done for years – quietly, meaningfully and respectfully.”

What have Highland Council done for refugees?

A Highland Council report stated their ‘strong history in supporting refugees’ and outlined a number of recent resettlement programmes adopted in reaction to world events.

One resettlement scheme in 2016 saw the Highlands take in a number of Syrian families after the civil war there.

Since 2021 the council continues to resettle at-risk families as a result of the crisis in Afghanistan.

In more recent years, the Highlands has welcomed 233 people displaced from the war in Ukraine - many of them now living in Aviemore and the surrounding strath.

Since 2022, 56 asylum-seeking children have also been relocated to the region.

Council officer Brian Cameron said work continues at the council to support refugees and resettlement efforts ‘as best as possible’.

‘We don’t need to virtue signal our support’

Councillor McDonald said the council did not need to ‘virtue signal our support’ and ‘refugees do not want to be put on a pedestal’.

“We certainly do not want our citizens to perceive that they are being alienated and pushed further down the pecking order,” he added.

Fellow Inverness councillor Isabelle MacKenzie added her concern the award was just a ‘symbolic gesture’ and asked what it would offer the Highlands.

She said: “While the intention is commendable, it is vital that this commitment goes beyond symbolism and is structurally embedded in the council’s policies and practices.”

Dingwall councillor Angela MacLean called the council’s work ‘tremendous’ and said she was ‘really surprised’ councillors were not inclined to back the proposals.

The award would cost a total of £2,100 over three years after which the council would have to reapply.

Black Isle councillor Sarah Atkin said she saw the award as a ‘public recognition’ for people involved in refugee resettlement programmes across the Highlands.

She called for the council to not fall into ‘dogwhistle politics’ and said the award was public recognition rewarding the ‘incredible job’ behind the scenes.

She added: “Lets not forget our humanity. Social media is not everybody, it’s not everything.”

‘I don’t care what social media says’

Inverness councillor Ian Brown ‘totally supported’ the idea of the council pursuing the sanctuary award.

He said: “When I get up in the morning I don’t care what social media says - that doesn’t make my decisions or not.”

However, Skye councillor Ruraidh Stewart contested that ‘while we should be welcoming to refugees, we don’t need to sign up to some award for that to be the case’.

Councillor Stewart said the ongoing work was ‘fantastic’ but added: “We don’t need another certificate.”

Councillors then voted to drop plans to go ahead with the award but with the option of revisiting the idea in the future.

What is a City of Sanctuary award?

City of Sanctuary UK is an organisation working to “encourage inclusivity, solidarity and compassion for people from a forced displacement background.”

The “City of Sanctuary” award was first given to Sheffield in 2007.

City of Sanctuary say their award helps recognise organisations “who go above and beyond to welcome people seeking sanctuary.”

Perth and Kinross Council were awarded the status last year and are currently the only Scottish local authority to hold such an award.

Other recipients include Lochardil Primary School, University of Dundee and Esolperth, an English language centre in Perth.

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