From the callout issued by GetUp Australia:
The image of a Syrian child’s lifeless body washed up on the shores of a Turkish beach this week brought the world to its knees. His name was Aylan Kurdi, and he was just three years old.
The sad reality is that Aylan was one among millions of desperate people forced to flee from war and persecution. The world is facing a global refugee crisis on a scale we’ve not seen since WWII, but Australia – our lucky country of a fair go for all – is not doing enough. We can do better to help these people.
We need to do better.That’s why on Monday night, we will light a candle to remember Aylan Kurdi. We will stand together in solidarity with people across the world who are forced to ask for protection from countries like ours. We’ll shine a light in the darkness, in protest of our country’s abandonment of the world’s most desperate people, who seek only safety and protection.
We will send a message to the world that our government’s inaction does not represent us, and that Australia says welcome.
In spite of threatened rain – which did eventuate but was brushed off by participants – thousands gathered in response to the call, and there were similar though smaller rallies in other centres. Speakers in Melbourne were mostly familiar from past rallies. They included ex-detainee Mohammad Ali Baqiri, Pamela Curr of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), Father Bob Maguire, Zakia Baig of the Australian Hazara Women’s Friendship Network (AHWFN), and Sarah Ireland of Save the Children Australia. MC was comedian Anne Edmonds, assisted by two sign language interpreters.
Some links to media reports:
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/light-the-dark-melbourne-rallies-for-asylum-seekers-20150907-gjh7ai.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-07/light-the-dark-candlelight-vigils-held-for-asylum-seekers/6756390
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-07/thousands-rally-in-melbourne-treasury-gardens-for-asylum-seekers/6756400
In addition many participants have uploaded photos to the event Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/events/1064515756893972/
Mohammad Ali Baqiri
Sarah Ireland, Humanitarian Policy and Advocacy Adviser at Save the Children Australia, based in Lebanon
Father Bob Maguire
Zakia Baig from the Australian Hazara Women’s Friendship Network Inc.-AHWFN
Pamela Curr from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
More photos, in no particular order, and self-explanatory:
