Walls Don’t Work
The world is facing a global refugee crisis with more people on the move today than since the Second World War. With this in mind, our students wanted to put the focus on the increasing efforts of governments around the world to keep people out. The 1951 UN Refugee Convention, signed by 145 nations, gives protection to those fleeing 
persecution. The catch though is that people can only claim asylum once they are inside your territory. Increasingly the goal is to prevent their arrival. In 1989 there were 15 border walls globally; today there are 70, with more and more coming.
As visitors to our exhibit entered, they confronted an unexpected situation — tough-looking border guards requesting specific identification, asking invasive “security” questions and conducting baggage checks. Despite the unreality of it all — a border station in the middle of a publicly accessible college, the situation reminded many of their own encounters at borders. Some shared experiences of being singled out for 
different treatment simply for not being viewed as one of “us.”
“We are facing the biggest refugee and displacement crisis of our time. Above all, this is not just a crisis of numbers; it is also a crisis of solidarity.”
Ban Ki Moon, United Nations Secretary General
