Refugees Welcome Here: Day of Action

ENGLAND (SEE BELOW FOR OTHER COUNTRIES IN UK)   National Demonstration, 12 September 2015 Assemble Marble Arch 12 Noon March to Downing Street    Date:  Saturday 12 September 2015 at 12 noon   Meeting point:  11.30 am - 11.45 am Outside Sportsman Casino, Old Quebec Street (corner of Bryanston Street), London W1H 7AF   Directions:  Turn left when coming from Marble Arch underground station onto Oxford Street. Take the first left onto pedestrian walkway 50-100 metres away.     BASW England contacts: Karen Goodman and Nushra Mansuri (England Professional Officers) will be there with BASW England placards stating: Social Workers Support Refugees.   E: k.goodman@basw.co.uk M: 07803 036752 E: n.mansuri@basw.co.uk M: 07876 594539   Nearest tube:  Marble Arch Underground Station (Central Line: Zone 1)   A national day of action, called by:  Stand up to Racism, BARAC, Stop the War Coalition, Migrant Rights Network, War on Want, Peoples Assembly Against Austerity, Movement Against Xenophobia, Unite Against Fascism, Love Music Hate Racism and Black Out London   Social Workers Welcome Refugees   BASW England is calling all members to support the national day of action: Refugees Welcome Here. This event has been organised to respond to the reports of refugees fleeing war, persecution, torture and poverty.    Many individuals have lost their lives or find they are struggling to find a safe haven. This includes the death of 200 refugees off the coast of Libya, 70 refugees found in a truck in Austria and the tragic reports of refugees drowning crossing the Mediterranean. It is to remember three-year-old Aylan Kurdi, his older brother Galip and their mother Rihan. It is to demand a safe haven for people stranded in Hungary and prohibited from moving around the EU, and for those in Calais struggling to find sanctuary.   BASW Chief Executive Bridget Robb has expressed solidarity to those seeking refuge in Europe and criticised the “dehumanising” language used by some politicians to describe them.   Speaking this week at the International Federation of Social Workers’ European Conference in Edinburgh, she said: “Those of us who work in England have been horrified by our own government’s response using language that is so negative and dehumanising of the experiences people have had.   “We want to make a joint commitment of our support and acknowledge the deaths that have occurred and the tragedies that are creating the need for people to walk.   “We have decided the only way to tackle this is yes, political pressure, but we must also walk the streets by marching and saying the response of our government is not good enough.”   On Monday 14 September Home Secretary Theresa May will be meeting with EU leaders about the refugee crisis. Therefore, BASW England is asking its members to stand united alongside the Social Work Action Network (SWAN), service users and their fellow social workers within the Social Workers and Service Users bloc, and call on the government to learn from the lessons of history and take a humanitarian and compassionate response to refugees, and to meet its share of the responsibility for providing protection.   Let's send a strong message: social workers welcome refugees.   View the strong statements issued at the International Federation of Social Workers’ European Conference in Edinburgh:   Social workers light a candle for refugees Social work leader calls for protest against political response to refugee crisis   Click here to view the location and get directions.   Show Your Support   Click here to join with the Social Workers bloc on Facebook.   If you live north of Birmingham or Leicester, or in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland organisers are advising you participate in local events.    See links below to find out what is happening across the UK   Scotland - GLASGOW - from 2.30pm in George Square, opposite the City Chambers   EDINBURGH - Meet 2.30pm at the Scottish Parliament    Wales - CARDIFF - Meet 12pm at Bevan statue   Wales says #RefugeesWelcome (Cardiff) Swansea Says Refugees Welcome Here! Brighton event   Northern Ireland  

There are three demonstrations planned (Saturday 12th September):

·         Belfast rally at 2.30 pm at City Hall.

·         Derry/ L’Derry Waterside Station at 2pm for march and rally at Guildhall Square

·         Omagh rally at 1pm at the Courthouse.

  If you are aware of any other events that are running please let us know