Standing in Solidarity – Circle of Silence – #BringThemHere

Standing in Solidarity is a National Day of Prayer & Action for Catholic schools during National Child Protection Week (September 4-10) to project a united Catholic voice expressing solidarity for people seeking asylum in Australia. We are aiming for 200 schools to be involved and to make this a meaningful experience for students as well as building a positive narrative we can disseminate to the wider community.

To launch this week of prayer and action, CAPSA invites schools in Melbourne to participate in a large-scale Circle of Silence in the Melbourne CBD. The event will help promote the event nationally and be symbolic gesture of solidarity to all those people seeking asylum currently experiencing injustice. In particular we will join the calls for Malcolm Turnbull to close the detention centres on Manus and Nauru and #BringThemHere

Key Details

Date: Friday, September 2

Time: 11am-12.30pm

Location: Birrarung Marr (next to Federation Square, on the Yarra River)

Joining us for this event will be Gunnaikurnai-Yamaji man Brent Watkins, refugee advocate Sister Brigid Arthur, 2016 Victorian of the Year Julian McMahon, and West Papuan activist and former refugee Jefry Yikwa.

Structure:

11am -11.50am – Welcome & Speeches

11.50am – 12.20pm – Circle of Silence

12.20pm – 12.30pm – Reflection & Thank-you

By coordinating an event in combination with many Catholic schools from across wider Melbourne and Victoria, CAPSA is seeking to raise public awareness and build support for greater compassion and humanity towards people seeking asylum who have suffered and experienced injustice. Unifying under the CAPSA banner is an opportunity to express our shared values and humanity in solidarity with people fleeing persecution, war, and torture in conflict areas and failing states around the globe.

You can read more about the Circle of Silence action here.