Members of the activist group United Bridges and some Human Rights Solidarity volunteers marched for refugee rights on 24 June.  The event, organised as part of Refugee Week, started in Battersea Park in London and continued for around 15 miles along the Thames Path, ending at Cutty Sark in Greenwich.

Batuhan Karakus from the march team commented on the protest as follows:

The March for Human Rights, held on 24 June 2023, was a transformative event that brought together people from diverse backgrounds to advocate for refugee rights and promote solidarity. The event allowed us to engage in meaningful conversations about human rights, artificial intelligence, and child development. Throughout the march, we listened to first-hand accounts of courage and resilience from refugees, which deepened our understanding of their challenges.

Discussions on the intersection of human rights and artificial intelligence provided valuable insights into how we can harness AI for the betterment of society while safeguarding human dignity and equality. The march’s success was measured not only by the number of participants but also by the impact it had on raising awareness and fostering empathy.

We are committed to continuing this vital work and invite everyone to join us in our efforts to create a world where human rights are protected, and every individual is valued and respected.

Thank you for being part of this inspiring journey.

We invite you to the human rights training seminar on 27-28 May, where experts in their fields will make presentations.

Dear HRS volunteers,
We are excited to announce that we have arranged a human rights training program for May 27th and 28th. The program will be conducted in English and will be held face-to-face from 9:30am to 5:00pm on Saturday, and via Zoom from 10:00am to 12:00am on Sunday in Turkish.

During the seminar, experts in their fields, such as jurists, artists, journalists, and activists, will give presentations. Please note that the program has limited spots, so you must register to participate.

Click here to register for the programme.

Click here for Sunday’s Zoom broadcast.

You can find the programme details in the file below.

By Asiye Betul

This August, me and my activist friends found each other in a state of despair and overwhelmed by the events happening throughout the year. It wasn’t only a disgraceful year for our government, which would send asylum seekers to Rwanda if they had not been stopped by activists, lawyers and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). But also for British law and human rights. Also, as immigrants who have faced injustices by the state and knew what it was like to be alienated and discriminated between our communities, we knew we could never stay silent to another person facing the same thing. And we decided it was time to take action.

 We stood in Trafalgar square with our “Justice Wall”, a 1.8-meter tall wall made out of fabric, where we promote free speech and demand all human rights. This time our Justice Wall was themed after asylum seekers and refugees still facing discrimination by our Home Office and Government. We aimed not only to demand their justice but also to deliver messages of support and solidarity to them. Central London, especially Trafalgar square, which is located near Soho and Westminster, was the perfect location.

 We had children coming up to our wall and leaving welcoming messages for asylum seekers, toddlers drawing hearts and people hand to hand (which was my absolute favourite part of this project), tourists leaving messages of solidarity in their own languages, and many supportive messages such as “Do not dare give up” and “You are loved, and welcomed”.

 This project might not sound like a very big deal at first, but for me, it was London and the people of London showing their true faces. It was London telling us that, despite its government, we are welcome, and If there we were in a place of danger and discrimination, the people of London would not stay silent and stand up for us. An act of solidarity on its own.

Injustices may rise, but we will not prevail. The names of those who do injustice will be forgotten, but our strength and solidarity will always be remembered. So will we 🙂