“Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.’
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 14
In 2011 we presented Anniversary – An Act of Memory, a series of solo, collective, and multi-lingual recitations from memory of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, led by Monica Ross. At that time we did not anticipate the direct attack that some of these rights would come under in the UK and elsewhere.
The proposed Immigration Bill threatens to risk life and undermine the right to protection of so many people with compelling reasons to seek sanctuary in the UK. If passed, the Bill would shake the very foundations of international law, even leading to extinguishing the rights to protection for anyone, anywhere. Affecting all of us.
We believe that there must be more humane, legal, just and balanced ways of organising the asylum system.
We stand in solidarity with our displaced friends and communities in the UK and around the world. We will continue to work with our artists and partners on creating positive change and imagining more compassionate ways of addressing present challenges.
And we hope you will join us in engaging with the theme of “Compassion” for Refugee Week 2023.
