The winning entries of the ‘2nd International Migration Cartoons Competition’ organised by HRS and Time to Help are on display. On Friday 8 September, 25 of the cartoons we call ‘Humanity Cartoons’ will be presented to the public at Pancras Square in London. You can see the cartoons drawn by important artists from different countries between 3.00-5.00 PM. The same exhibition will be on display in Trafalgar Square on Sunday 17 September.

These cartoons draw attention to the issue of ‘immigration’, which is among the most important agendas of the world, and aim to raise awareness about the violations of rights.

There are many migrants living in the UK and the number of asylum applications to the country is increasing every day. People who are looking for a safe place just to survive and who leave their countries at the risk of death face very serious difficulties.

As people living in peace and prosperity, we cannot ignore these migrants in difficult situations. Like every human being, they have the right to live and work. Being aware of this, we should extend a helping hand to migrants and provide the safe living conditions they seek.

With these feelings, we invite you to see the cartoons that illustrate the difficulties of migrants very well and to think about the solution of the problems.

Meet us at Pancras Square on Friday at 3.00pm.

‘Have Breakfast and Learn British History’ project, which we will realise with funding from Greater London Authority, starts this month. This activity, which is implemented within the scope of ‘Community Support and Integration Project’, includes asylum seekers, refugees and migrants and will start in August 2023.

Welcome to the ‘Breakfast, Walk and Learn British History’ project, a transformative initiative under the GLA Building Strong Communities Programme. 

Our goal is to provide asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants in Greater London, who face financial hardship and social isolation due to the high cost of living, with an enriching and inclusive experience.

 Project Ambition: The overarching ambition of this project is to support and integrate asylum seekers and refugees in Greater London, empowering them to overcome challenges associated with social isolation and financial constraints. We aim to create a warm and welcoming environment in central London, where participants can have a nutritious breakfast, engage in social interactions with their peers, and delve into the rich tapestry of British history. By fostering a sense of community and enhancing their understanding of the country they now call home, we aspire to facilitate personal and social development among the participants.

 Significance to Our Organization: At our organization, we believe in providing equal opportunities for personal growth and social development to all members of society, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances. We recognize that asylum seekers and refugees often face unique hardships when adapting to a new culture, language, and way of life. Through this project, we aim to mitigate some of their challenges by offering a safe, inclusive, and educational space for learning and social connection.

 Inspiration and Development: The idea for “Breakfast, Walk and Learn British History” originated from conversations with members of the local immigrant communities who expressed their desire for more opportunities to socialize and learn about their new home. Financial constraints often hinder asylum seekers and refugees from participating in regular activities, leading to increased feelings of loneliness and isolation. We identified the need for an accessible and low-cost initiative that brings people together and fosters a sense of community.

 Project Activities: The “Breakfast, Walk, and Learn British History” project will unfold over ten months and will consist of the following activities:

 1. Monthly 2-hour Breakfast Sessions and Community Gathering: These sessions will provide participants with a nutritious breakfast and a welcoming environment for socializing and connecting with others.

 2. Monthly 3-hour Talk, Regular Guided Walks in the Local Area, and Learning Sessions about British History: Engaging and interactive sessions will delve into the historical, cultural, and social aspects of Britain, fostering curiosity and encouraging active participation. Participants will have the opportunity to explore their surroundings, engage in physical activity, and connect with nature.

  Project Timeline:

August 2023:

• Date: Last Saturday of the month (August 26th)
• Time: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
• Venue: HRS Headquarter @ Trafalgar Square

September 2023:

• Date: Last Saturday of the month (September 30th)
• Time: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
• Venue: HRS Headquarter @ Trafalgar Square

October 2023:

• Date: Last Saturday of the month (October 28th)
• Time: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
• Venue: HRS Headquarter @ Trafalgar Square

And so on for the next 7 months until June 2024, following the same pattern of the last Saturday of every month.

May 2024:

• Date: Last Saturday of the month (May 25th)
• Time: 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
• Venue: HRS Headquarter @ Trafalgar Square

Please note that the dates are subject to adjustments based on public holidays or unforeseen circumstances. The project will run for a total of 10 months, concluding in May 2024, providing consistent opportunities for asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants to benefit from this enriching experience and support their integration into the Greater London community.

 Join us on this journey of empowerment and integration! Together, we can build stronger communities and foster a sense of belonging for all individuals in Greater London. Let’s make a positive impact on the lives of those who need it the most.

 Project Registration: “Breakfast, Walk and Learn British History”

Who can apply?

 You may be eligible to participate in the “Breakfast, Walk and Learn British History” project if the following criteria apply:

• Residency in London: Applicants must be residents of Greater London and able to provide valid address proof as evidence of their London residence.

• Immigrant Status: Individuals with immigrant status, including dependents, asylum seekers, refugees, visa holders, or those with other approved pathways, are welcome to apply.

Register Now

Our free basketball school we organised with the aim of making the lives of immigrant and refugee youth easier begins. The basketball school, which we initiated in order to facilitate the lives of migrant and refugee youth and contribute to their adaptation to the country, is starting. ‘Hoops for Hope: Empowering Refugee and Immigrant Youth Through Basketball’, we will provide basketball courses to 100 immigrant youth living in London for 10 months.

The project will start in July 2023 and end in May 2024, during which time participating young people will receive basketball training at least twice a month. 2-day basketball camp will be organised during the Human Rights week in December. All trainees will be offered meals on training days. In addition, travelling expenses and sportswear will be provided for a certain number of students who cannot afford it.

Hoops for Hope: Empowering Refugee and Immigrant Youth Through Basketball is a new project aimed at supporting vulnerable and disadvantaged youth immigrants living in Greater London. Our focus is on providing basketball sessions that will help them to overcome barriers to accessing relevant services, reducing social isolation, and improving their physical and mental well-being.

We have extensive experience working with immigrant communities and have observed that many youth immigrants are struggling with a lack of social interaction and sports activities, resulting in social isolation and health problems. Many of them are also facing financial constraints or a lack of connection with their community, which limits their ability to access relevant services and opportunities.

We have been helping vulnerable and poor asylum seekers and immigrants who contacted us to seek help upon their advocacy, community and social needs, and legal process. We observe that many immigrant youth are struggling with a lack of social interaction and sports activities. As a result, many are experiencing social isolation and health problems. We are receiving inquiries from their parents who would like to have opportunities for engaging in social activities such as sports and social gathering.

The project will run for 10 months starting in July 2023 and will consist of supervised basketball sessions and two intensive basketball camps during refugee and human rights weeks. Our focus is on serving youth immigrants from Greater London, especially those living in highly populated, diverse, deprived, and multi-religious parts of Enfield, Westminster, Haringey, Harrow, Barnet, and Brent.

The beneficiaries of our project will be youth immigrants who are facing social and economic challenges, including a lack of access to relevant services and opportunities for social interaction and sports activities. By participating in our basketball sessions, these youth immigrants will have the opportunity to improve their physical and mental well-being, make friends, and become more engaged with their local community.

The impact of our project will be significant, as it will help to reduce existing structural inequalities and future social issues for immigrant communities. By providing a safe and supportive environment for youth immigrants to participate in basketball, we aim to improve their self-esteem, confidence, and social skills, which will have positive ripple effects in their personal and professional lives.

Through this project, we also aim to promote social inclusion and foster a sense of community among youth immigrants living in Greater London. By connecting them with each other and with local resources, we hope to help them feel more integrated and supported, thus contributing to a more cohesive and resilient society.

Project Registration: “Hoops for Hope: Empowering Immigrant Youth Through Basketball

Register Now

The ‘2nd International Migration Cartoons Competition’ organised by Time to Help UK, one of our solution partners, has been concluded. The first 6 works that ranked in the competition with cash prizes were announced on the website named ‘Humanity Cartoons’ (www.humanitycartoons.com). The website also featured the top 20 winning works.

The owners and countries of the first 6 cartoons selected by the jury consisting of Kianoush Ramezani, Christina Sifianou, Fawzy Morsy, Safaa Odah are as follows: Gustavo Fernando Caballero Talavera (Mexico), Ali Miraee (Iran), Vladimir Pavlik (Slovakia), Luc Descheemaeker (Belgium), Hamit Gış (Turkey), Alireza Pakdel (Iran). A total of USD 3,300 will be awarded to these artists.

In addition to the winning cartoons, 100 works that passed the first evaluation stage are planned to be exhibited in the UK and other European countries. Starting on 20 June, the Refugees Week will be organised in two different ways: ‘travelling’ or ‘fixed’ exhibitions. Fixed exhibitions will be held in halls or galleries, while travelling exhibitions will be carried out by volunteers in the streets and squares of some big cities.

The competition, which was organised to draw attention to the ‘refugee problem’, which is among the most important agendas of the world, started on 1 March 2023 and ended on 15 May. During this period, 768 professional or amateur artists from many countries sent a total of 1,278 cartoons. Of the works drawn by the artists, 674 were found to meet the announced criteria of the competition. The 100 works presented to the selection of famous cartoonists were determined by a committee of experts.

The first one was organised by Kimse Yok Mu Association

The first edition of this contest was organised in 2016 by Kimse Yok Mu Association, a humanitarian aid organisation based in Turkey. Nearly 1,200 artworks from different countries participated in the contest, with Cuban cartoonist Hernandez Guerrero coming first, Constatin Pavel from Romania coming second and Italian Alessandro Gatto coming third. The 120 selected cartoons were to be exhibited in Athens, Berlin, Cologne, Brussels, Cologne, Brussels and Paris. The first exhibition was opened in Athens, but the plan was left unfinished as Kimse Yok Mu Association was unlawfully shut down after the coup attempt on 15 July 2016. The managers and employees of the association that organised the competition became refugees.

HRS, together with Time to Help UK, one of the partner organisations of Kimse Yok Mu Association in Europe, set out to complete the unfinished plan. Stating that they want to benefit from the power of the art of cartooning and at the same time support those working in this field, the organisation delegation explains their aim as follows: “We want to shed light on migration issues in general, the problems in the asylum and refugee integration systems of Western societies and contribute to a better understanding of the problems faced by migrant communities.”

Yusuf Kar: People leave their homeland to survive

Yusuf Kar, General Manager of Time to Help UK, stated that they see it as a historical responsibility and debt to continue such a meaningful project in an environment where the world is discussing asylum seekers. Reminding that nearly 100 million people have been displaced against their will, Kar said: “As an organisation that provides humanitarian aid to African and Asian countries, we are well aware of the conditions that lead to forced migration. As a last resort, people leave the land of their birth in order to sustain their lives. However, they are not welcomed in the countries they take refuge in for different reasons.” Emphasising that the problem carries the danger of growing even more, Kar said, “For a solution, the problem must first be recognised. We believe that the competition we organised will serve this purpose.”

Pointing out that they plan to exhibit 100 cartoons selected among the works participating in the competition in different centres of the world, Yusuf Kar said that they expect support from all institutions and groups that are sensitive to the issue. Reminding that they can share materials and ideas with those who want to open an exhibition, Kar asked those who are interested to contact them.

Hamza Mazlum: The most important problems are legal and administrative

Hamza Mazlum, Executive Director of Human Rights Solidarity, stated that ‘forced migration and refugees’ is one of the issues they focus on. Noting that hundreds of thousands of asylum seekers around the world are facing great problems, Mazlum reminded that international law has sufficient infrastructure to protect refugees and asylum seekers. Stating that the 1951 Geneva Convention and many other international texts and judicial decisions have clear and unambiguous provisions on the subject, Mazlum made the following assessment:

“However, in practice, states can ignore these rules and take very serious actions against the law. I think that since the interests of governments do not coincide with the rights of asylum seekers, the issue has completely turned into a struggle between civil society and states. In order to find a solution, the international community needs to defend the rights of asylum seekers as a whole. We are working with international organisations to overcome these problems, but the issue should also be well understood by civil society. I believe that the exhibition of the works of the cartoon contest in different centres will create an important awareness on this issue.”

Mazlum invited all organisations working in the field of human rights to establish a partnership to organise an exhibition for ‘Humanity Cartoons’. While emphasising that they can provide all kinds of support in this regard, he said that they are also open to making a joint programme.

The Community Foundation has recently accepted to grant our new project titled ‘Supporting Refugees and Migrants through Human Rights Workshops’. We are thrilled to announce that the Community Foundation has recently approved a grant to support our project titled “Supporting Refugees, Asylum Seekers, and Migrants through Human Rights Workshops.”

The project’s primary objective is to provide human rights workshops to refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. The workshops will be delivered by human rights experts and will cover topics such as:
·      An overview of human rights laws and conventions
·      Discrimination and how to combat it
·      Accessing healthcare, education, and employment
·      Understanding and navigating the legal system
·      How to advocate for your rights

The workshops will be delivered over a period of 10 months starting June 2023. Each workshop will last for two hours and will be delivered by Human rights experts.

The project will also include a series of social events, including cultural activities and networking opportunities, which will enable participants to build relationships with other refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants and reduce their social isolation.

The grant from Community Foundation will play a pivotal role in supporting the successful execution of this project. The funds will be utilized to secure experienced trainers and facilitators who specialize in human rights, migration issues, and community integration. Additionally, the grant will cover the costs associated with workshop materials, venue rentals, interpretation services, and other necessary resources. This support will ensure that the workshops are accessible, informative, and impactful for the participants.

We extend our sincere appreciation to all our donors and supporters whose contributions have made this grant possible. Your generosity and commitment to making a difference in the lives of others is truly inspiring. Together, we are creating a community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and build a brighter future.

We invite you to stay connected with the progress of this project and other initiatives of HRS. Follow our social media channels and visit our website for updates, success stories, and opportunities to get involved.

Together, let us continue to work towards a more inclusive and just society.

We acknowledge the intrinsic link between biodiversity and human rights. Biodiversity encompasses the vast array of ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity that exist on Earth. It provides essential resources for human survival, such as food, medicine, and clean air and water. Protecting biodiversity is therefore not only an environmental imperative but also a matter of ensuring the rights and well-being of present and future generations.

As Chairs of Human Rights Solidarity, Berk Batin, a first-year psychology student at Kings College London, and Burak Batuhan Karakus, a second-year law student at City, University of London, we are honoured to spearhead a project with a dedicated team of passionate individuals. Together, we are committed to upholding human rights and working towards making a lasting impact in our society.

Recognizing the interconnectedness of human rights and biodiversity, we strive to be the water that nourishes the sapling of human rights while fostering the preservation and sustainable management of biodiversity. By advocating for justice, equality, and dignity, we aim to create a world where the rights of all individuals are respected, protected, and harmoniously coexist with the natural world.

You can read the full details of the project and the programme in the section below:

Here you can find some of the projects and activities that Human Rights Solidarity (HRS) will implement in new year. Children and Youth Rights Awareness workshop:

We will arrange a workshop to teach young people about the Rights of Children and Youth and to empower them and encourage them to acknowledge their rights. This will be an interactive session addressing topics such as:

• Right to have an identity
• Right to have an education
• Freedom of thought and religion
• Privacy
• Right to Health
• Standard of living
• Rest and leisure

To volunteer for this project, please contact us at

“ARE WE FALLING BEHIND THE ECHR?” Panel

This panel will focus on the UK’s current situation with the concord of ECHR decisions and their implementation into UK law. We will be listening the experts in Human rights, such as professors, human rights lawyers, judges, and more. This panel will be face-to-face in February. We will post the updates on our website soon.

If you would like to take part in organising this event, please write to us at

Research and discussion project on “Women’s power in world economy and science.”

Women have an underestimated contribution to the global economy and to science. We want to research and acknowledge women’s efforts, contributions, and inventions. This project includes academic research and interview series.

Please contact us to be a part of it at 

UN COMMISSION ON STATUS OF WOMEN FORUM

Human Rights Solidarity has registered to join UN CSW. We will be entering the UN’s face-to-face parallel events in New York and discussing the outcome of our research project, “Women’s power in world economy and science” we will host guest speakers and prepare a presentation for this event. We need human resources to prepare for this event.

Please email us if you wish to participate in organising this event

Deadline: 6 January.

Human rights history walking tours in London, such as the Suffragette, Black history, and more. London is full of history. We will be walking to different London landmarks to witness the history of human rights.

These tours will be open to volunteers, and the guide will be booked in advance.

Discussions with young people on ‘activism through art.’

Activism has many formats, and the use of art is a profound method. Art is not only an abstract way of acting but also a way of showing solidarity. We will discuss the art pieces that demonstrate the violation of human rights and try to find ways to show solidarity.

Research on International Criminal Law and Rome Statute’ mass killing of political groups’ and why it is not covered in the term ‘genocide’.

This research will try to identify the core elements of genocide described in the Rome Statute and analyse the reason behind setting ‘protected groups’ and why political groups are not one of them. The outcome of the research will be published on our website.

Please contact us if you wish to be part of the research team.

Research on the violation of disabled people’s rights and their struggles.

Disabled people are often isolated, and their rights are repeatedly violated. We want to research disabled people’s rights regarding ECHR decisions and share the outcome on our website.

Talented activists’ training.

This will be a training series for our volunteers to improve their skills and learn new ones in order to benefit the company.

After completion of the training, we will apply the new skills to our projects.

This will be seen in the form of creating podcast series and making video edits for our social media accounts.

The training will start by addressing the following topics:

Podcast training

Video editing training

Public speaking training

Discussion on the limitation of freedom of expression in line with hate crimes: What are the limits?

Freedom of expression and hate crimes are in absolute conflict. Hate crimes are at their highest records on social media. In the case of these vocalisations of hate, many argue that freedom of speech is essential. But do we know where freedom of speech and the effects of hate begin and end? We will discuss the types and forms of hate crimes, the groups who are facing the hatred and how to stop said crimes, including ways to report them.

We will be preparing documents for each attendee to read before this discussion.

Amnesty International “Oppressor and Oppressed” Panel

 We are organising a panel with Amnesty International on Islamophobia; this event will focus on the violation of human rights towards Muslim people.

The details of the event will be decided soon in a meeting with Amnesty International and we will keep you posted.