Stitching Solidarity: AVID and Waging Peace for Sudanese Migrants

This project, led by Waging Peace, shines a light on the unspoken atrocities faced by Sudanese communities and the plight of Sudanese migrants in the UK.

Earlier this year, as the one-year anniversary of civil war in Sudan approached, AVID and Waging Peace joined hands to host an online Lunch-and-Learn session. This session served as a platform to inform our members, visitors, and the public about Sudan's recent history, the ongoing conflict, and the profound impacts on its people. We were told about the heart-wrenching testimonies gathered by Waging Peace researcher during their 2007 fact-finding mission to Eastern Chad. Through poignant drawings by children, we were confronted with the stark reality of the attacks carried out by military forces in Sudan, highlighting the urgent need for awareness and action. Waging Peace shared the publication of their book of the children's drawings, timed to mark the one-year anniversary of the most recent conflict and to address the lack of media and public attention on the ongoing conflict and struggles faced by Sudanese people seeking sanctuary.

To amplify these voices further after the session, we have been sharing clips from the Lunch-and-Learn on our social media channels with the aim of igniting conversations.

Our collaboration extends beyond digital realms. Embracing the richness of Sudanese culture and honouring the resilience of its people, Waging Peace invited us to participate in a Toub making session, a continuation of a project - "Peace by Piece" initiated by women in the Waging Peace community from Sudan. The Toub, a traditional Sudanese garment worn with pride, serves as a representation of our shared commitment to standing with Sudanese women and migrants. As we sat together, engaged in heartfelt conversations and collectively envisioned a brighter future, we sewed pieces of fabric symbolising our aspirations for a new era. Aminata and Miranda integrated a world passport into the fabric, emblematic of a world without borders, where individuals are free to move. Maddy, Shahd and Alla stitched representations of men, women, and people of all races, shapes, and identities, marching together in solidarity for justice. Sonja crafted a fabric infused with hope, weaving threads of optimism into our shared vision.

As we thread the fabric of our new era, we are weaving a tapestry of hope and solidarity, standing shoulder to shoulder with Sudanese migrants and all those navigating the cruel reality of migration in the UK.