Three ways to speak out this Valentine's Day
This Valentine’s Day we’re making a stand against the Rwanda plan.
This Valentine’s Day we’re joining City of Sanctuary and Together with Refugees to make a stand against the Rwanda plan. We’re calling for safe routes, a more compassionate approach and for a stop to any flights. Find three ways to take action below!
1. Write to your MP
Send a Valentine’s Day card to your MP and call on the government to scrap the Rwanda policy. Explain that the policy is not only unjust, but also unworkable.
It treats human beings like cargo, ignoring the distress that the possibility of being sent to Rwanda is causing for vulnerable people who have likely already experienced trauma in their home countries, on their journeys to the UK and through the process of seeking asylum.
It is also expensive, poses serious safeguarding risks and is unlikely to have the desired effect of deterrence. Read our initial response to the Rwanda plan here.
2. Show your heart
Get creative to raise awareness in your sphere of influence about the need for a more compassionate asylum system. Bake heart shaped cookies to share with your colleagues. Cut out orange hearts and stick them to your windows or display them on your desk at work. Add an orange heart emoji to your email signature.
Use these simple acts as opportunities to spark conversations and raise awareness. Explain that you’re concerned about government policies like the Rwanda plan that are criminalising people seeking safety. Tell them about the work of Boaz, and the need for safe, stable housing for people who have been refused asylum, as well as those who have been given leave to remain.
3. Use your voice
Raise awareness by using your voice on social media. Let’s flood our newsfeeds with messages of compassion and justice for refugees and people seeking sanctuary in the UK, challenging the systems that often force people into destitution.
You can find posts on our social media channels to share on the day, or keep an eye on other amazing organisations like City of Sanctuary, Refugee Action or Refugee Council. Find downloadable resources from City of Sanctuary here.
