Working towards a culture of consistent and fearless activism...

Several catastrophes have shaken the global community over the last two weeks and served as a stark and urgent reminder that we need now, more than ever, to be relentless in our activism and demands for change.

Two weeks ago, a senseless mass shooting fuelled by hate and Islamophobia took place in two mosques across New Zealand. Fifty people were killed and many more injured. This unthinkable act of terrorism reiterated what is possible when we fail to actively condemn and tackle bigotry and white supremacy in all of its forms. Just one week later, leaving little time to mourn and digest this tragedy, Cyclone Idai hit Mozambique, causing an estimated 1,000 dead and irreversible destruction across the country. The cyclone was a devastating reminder of the harsh and inevitable reality of climate change. Amongst these incidents, there are ongoing crises throughout the world which do not dominate our headlines, but nevertheless must not be forgotten. One example is the raging war in Yemen - figures released this week showed that 3 people a day continue to die every day in Yemen, and millions of Yemenis are now on the verge of famine. Meanwhile, the US and UK remain complicit in the war and Saudi-led airstrikes on Yemen, as they continue to sell arms to Saudi Arabia.

As long as our institutions and politicians are ignoring (or perpetuating) the terrifying rise in xenophobia, racism and institutionalised islamophobia and hate, irresponsibly failing to tackle climate change and contributing to the world's ‘worst man-made humanitarian disaster’ by facilitating war – it is clear that we can no longer afford to stay silent. Apathy or neutrality are not an option, and tweets of solidarity, hashtags and thoughts and prayers are simply not enough.

We at WiFP invite you to take action.

Whether your activism takes place in protests on the streets or in lobbying your politicians and institutions. Or whether it is in organising and raising awareness in local communities or in advocating for a transformative approach to foreign policy - all of this and more is necessary to affect change. Dismantling oppressive institutions to overcome hate and implement sustainable policies are not impossible tasks. But in order to do this we must act collectively to normalise a culture of consistent and fearless activism, and we must do it soon! ✊🏽

Sara Sajjad is WiFP’s Newsletter Manager.