We Light Up The Dark
On Sunday night, we were a sight to behold. We stood with 20,000 Australians, across the country and around the world, to spread light during a dark time in Australian history. We gave hope and radiated compassion to asylum seekers under our government’s cruel and punishing policies.
It’s absolutely amazing what you made possible in just 48 hours. Click here to take a look at just what you achieved.(Warning – you might need a box of tissues handy…)
https://www.getup.org.au/
On Sunday night, I had the immense privilege of addressing a candlelit crowd of more than 4,500 people in Sydney Square. From where I was standing, I couldn’t see beyond the sea of twinkling lights.
I saw a community of people unified in hope that we can do better for asylum seekers. People who are determined to break through the secrecy and end our national shame. What I saw was a community of people that made me proud to be Australian. What’s incredible is that this same moment happened at hundreds of events, large and small – including a one-man vigil at a cattle station in central Queensland, and crowds in seven other countries around the world.
After such a powerful display of our collective desire to do better, we must ensure that the campaign continues in earnest. We can’t be complacent while our government tarnishes our human rights reputation, mistreats vulnerable people and does all of this in our name.
Will you help us step up the campaign for transparency and a more humane treatment of asylum seekers? Will you help us shut down Manus island? Click here to watch this video and chip in to light up the darkness on asylum seekers:
https://www.getup.org.au/
Although we still don’t know exactly what is being done in our name and what our government will do to act, there is no doubt that your actions on Sunday were noticed and mattered. You showed compassion to a grieving family in Iran. You each lit beacons of hope for asylum seekers being unconscionably detained in our name. You fired up tens of thousands of Australians who united to peacefully demand better from our government – and you made sure that message was heard by hundreds of thousands in media coverage around the country, and around the world.
To everyone who attended Sunday’s vigils, whether it be in person or in spirit, thank you for being a part of it. A brother of an asylum seeker who was injured on Manus asked us to pass on this message:
“He will be happy.
He will tell all people of Manus Island.
You will give them hope
I would like to say thank you from my heart.”
This can be the turning point. Let’s build on the momentum you helped to create and pressure our government to do better: https://www.getup.org.au/
Thanks for being there,
Sam, for the GetUp team
PS – As the photos and stories continue to pour in, we now know there were far more than 750 events and far more than 15,000 attendees, as originally estimated. Together, we made sure light shone brightly upon the hope for a better way.
Although the asylum seekers currently detained on Manus have been denied access to phone and internet for 8 days now we will continue to pressure the government to break its silence. One thing is certain: as soon as access is restored, one of the first things those currently detained on Manus will see are the amazing photos from around the country – and the world – that show just how many people care. They will know that their suffering is not in our name.
Click here to see some of the most powerful moments from the vigil: https://www.getup.org.au/