GLASGOW is set to mark the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The event will take place tomorrow, taking lead from renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who has created a flag to mark the occasion.
Arts organisations and human rights charities have been taking part in the Fly the Flag event in cities, towns and villages across the UK, celebrating that “human rights are for everyone, everyday”.
Migrant Voice Glasgow has created its own flag featuring a collage of photographs taken by some of its members and printed on silk.
The pictures were taken for its “Changing Lenses, Glasgow stories of integration” project, which brought together people from 25 different countries to create shared messages of hope.
It will be flying our flag tomorrow afternoon during a colourful outdoor event at the observation deck in Queens Park.
Members of the public will be invited to write their own messages of hope for the future of human rights on balloons and then release these into the air.
The charity is inviting everyone to come and join them to bring colour and diversity to the city’s skyline. A Migrant Voice member will talk about the impact of Ai Weiwei’s work and local musicians will provide entertainment.
The event comes after Refugee Week and as the Refugee Festival Scotland – which celebrates the contribution refugee communities make to life here – draws to a close.
Of the Fly the Flag initiative, Ai Weiwei said: “As we all come to learn, human rights are the precious result from generation after generation’s understanding of the human struggle.
“I am proud to be a part of this force.”
Nazek Ramadan, director of Migrant Voice, said: “Protecting our human rights is as important as it was 70 years ago.
“We live in an unequal world full of political instability and social inequalities where many people, including millions of migrants and refugees, are denied their fundamental rights.
“By flying this flag, featuring photographs taken by our members and the phrase ‘putting the world to rights’, we are showing the power of what can be achieved when people come together.
“We want to use this flag to inspire people across Glasgow, the UK and the world to join forces and keep fighting for human rights for every person on this planet.”
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