Bexhill and Battle MP, Huw Merriman, is supporting the Youth Parliament’s year-long campaign to combat racism and religious discrimination.
On Friday 22 January, the Youth Parliament will be organising a National Day of Action which will see Members of the Youth Parliament call on politicians and schools to join their campaign ‘Don’t Hate, Educate!’ in their strive to help young people speak out about racism and religious discrimination.
Over the next year, the UK Youth Parliament will campaign to challenge negative attitudes around race and religion; work with others to educate their communities in order to tackle ignorance around race and religion; and promote integration in their communities. The campaign was selected following the ‘Make Your Mark’ ballot which took place in the autumn of 2015 with 95,000 young people nominating it as their most important issue. Huw met with the Make Your Mark organisers last year and has continued his involvement with their campaign.
In England and Wales the Home Office reported 42,930 race related hate crimes and 3,254 religion related hate crimes. The campaign will target its support on those from the UK’s Muslim and Jewish communities.
Huw Merriman MP said ‘I am delighted to be supporting the Youth Parliament’s Make Your Mark initiative and I applaud the decision to select ‘Don’t Hate, Educate’ as the first campaign for the year. It is vital that we celebrate all cultures and religions in the UK and unite against those who seek to divide and undermine. I am calling on all of our local schools to join the National Day of Action on 22 January and I have been impressed by our local representatives from the Youth Parliament who have lobbied me so passionately for this cause’
Charlotte Phillips and Maria Goptareva, Member and Deputy Member of the UK Youth Parliament for Bexhill and Battle, are meeting Huw during the campaign week. Maria said “It is important for the campaign to be carried forward to recognise the diversity in the UK. We need to be more accepting to all cultures and not shame people for their racial and religious backgrounds.”