Uniting joins Palm Sunday rally to “welcome refugees”

Uniting joins Palm Sunday rally to “welcome refugees”

Uniting Church leaders and members will join the national call to “Welcome Refugees” at Palm Sunday rallies and marches in Sydney, Canberra and Newcastle on March 20.

Many thousands have already demonstrated and signed petitions urging Prime Minister Turnbull to let the 267 asylum seekers from Nauru and Manus Island stay in Australia – under the banner #LetThemStay.

The stand by Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital staff in Brisbane in refusing to discharge baby Asha for return to Nauru has been a flashpoint for opposition to the cruel bipartisan policy of offshore processing. Vigils, protests, social media actions, and churches (including Uniting) offering sanctuary, have shown how broadly based is community support for a humanitarian refugee policy.

This year’s Palm Sunday rallies around Australia will add to the growing community calls, not just to let those in Australia stay here, but to close the camps on Manus Island and Nauru, end mandatory detention and the imprisonment of children, and increase Australia’s humanitarian intake.

Rev Myung Hwa Park, Moderator of the Uniting Church in Australia, NSW-ACT Synod, will address the Sydney rally, among several other faith leaders.

Rev Park said: “Every human being is made in the image of God. As a Church we have a responsibility to protect and care for those fleeing persecution.

“The Uniting Church has a longstanding concern that asylum seekers and refugees are treated with compassion and in accordance with international law.”

In Sydney, A Uniting supporters’ contingent will gather at the “Uniting for the Common Good” banner in Belmore Park, near Central Station, from 12.45 for live music (including singers from Uniting), a variety of speakers from 1pm, and a 1.5km march to Victoria Park.

  • Please invite Sydney friends to this Facebook event
  • If you can, please wear a Give Hope or Uniting T-shirt (some may be available there), bring a banner or sign.
  • Download the Event Poster here to display in your Churches.
  • In Canberra, the Palm Sunday event will be at Garema Place at 1pm; and in Newcastle, at the Railway Sheds at 11:30am.
  • For updates, watch Uniting’s Give Hope Facebook page.

For more information contact Stafford Sanders: ssanders@uniting.org or m. 0412 070 194

Share

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top