Wales statement of solidarity and togetherness

This statement first appeared on the WCIA’s website. There you can see a full list of organisations, including Size of Wales, who have signed the statement from every corner of Cymru.

We were shocked by the violent attack that took place in Southport last week and are deeply saddened by the murder of young girls as well as the injuries inflicted on the other victims. Our sympathies are with the victims, their families and friends.

The tragic attack in Southport has been used as a vehicle to incite hatred and to attempt to divide communities through the spread of disinformation and lies. The violence, racism and Islamophobia that this has caused does not represent who we are, nor the opinions of the vast majority of the people of Wales.

It is not right that people are afraid to attend the mosque for fear of attack, it is not right that a child faces racist slurs from their peers because of the colour of their skin and it is not right that a man threatens a woman for wearing a hijab. These things are happening on streets in Wales. We can do better than this.

We stand in solidarity with people experiencing racist hatred, Islamophobia and discrimination. We stand against behaviour which would seek to separate neighbour from neighbour or cast a shadow of otherness on any group of people.

Wales has a strong and proud history of welcome, diversity and inclusion. If Wales is to help address the great challenges we face – climate and nature emergency, widening economic inequality, war and other injustices – then we need a society that is built on kindness, connection and respect.

We ask all people of Wales to value one another and to remember that our strength comes from our openness compassion, and a willingness to come together as friends, neighbours, and colleagues – we are all humans on this one planet we share regardless of skin colour, religious belief or nationality.

We all want a fairer and more peaceful world – this can only be achieved if we choose togetherness over division, dignity
over dehumanisation, love over hate, kindness over cruelty.

As you walk the streets of Wales today, please be kind, smile, say hello and remember, ‘we have far more in common than that which divides us’.