Hey There
Awareness-raising events are at the heart of what we do at SolidariTee. We regularly host talks, discussions and conferences which bring people together to learn more about migration and displacement, and to discuss avenues for lasting, compassionate solutions to better support refugees and displaced people.
Events
Each year, our student team chooses one or more overall themes under which to focus their awareness-raising and educational efforts. In the 2024-25 year, our student leadership team have been particularly interested in learning more about, and embracing the leadership of, people who use the arts and movement to describe or understand their lived experience. Our 2025 conference will feature a number of interactive sessions for this reason.
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Previous conference themes have included 'accountability in action', 'beyond the Mediterranean', and 'Then and Now: the 'refugee crisis' since 2015'. Scroll down to read more about upcoming and past events.
Recent Events
SolidariTee Social & Speaker Event with Nantina Tsekeri, CEO of Defence for Children International - Greece
Saturday 22nd March, 5:00 - 6:30pm, London
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Vulnerabilities, Special Procedural Needs and the EU New Pact on Migration
Monday 24th March, 11:30 - 2:30pm, London
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Upcoming Events
Annual Conference 2025 - Saturday 5th April, London
The Language of Migration: from 2015 to today
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Our annual conference 2025 brings together human rights defenders, journalists, academics, artists, lawyers, and grassroots and lived experience networks, all focused on reimagining what compassionate, people-centred approach towards supporting refugees across borders could look like. Join us for an exploration of the power of language and expression in all its forms, and a deep dive into the evolving asylum and migration landscape. Tickets are available on a 'donate what you can' basis via the link below, or you can email us at outreach@solidaritee.org.uk to register for a free of charge ticket.
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Including speakers from...
Refugee Legal Support​​
Freedom From Torture
selfm.aid
Tools 4 Inner Peace
Centre for Applied Human Rights, University of York
Safe Passage
Breaking Barriers
Somali Journalists Syndicate
Martin Jones
Professor of International Human Rights Law
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Martin Jones is Professor of International Human Rights Law at the University of York. He is a co-founder of the Egyptian Foundation for Refugee Rights, the largest provider of legal services to refugees in Egypt. He has been involved with numerous refugee legal aid organisations in the MENA and Asia regions, working with them on advocacy, programming and capacity building. He worked previously as a refugee lawyer in Canada and has also worked with the United Nations, including with UNHCR in improving its methods of evaluating local legal frameworks and with the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders in reporting on the dangerous situation faced by refugees and their allies in advocating for their rights.
Noor Qaiser
Board member, Selfm.aid
Selfm.aid is a Swiss/Greek humanitarian NGO based on the island of Samos, Greece, where humanitarian aid is produced locally, sustainably, and by hand. In our workshops, we work, learn, and laugh together, sharing skills and knowledge while developing innovative solutions.
The products we manufacture and the services we offer, directly improve living conditions and alleviate human suffering. The manual skills our participants bring with them form the foundation of our workshops, and skilled individuals have the opportunity to take on leadership roles by managing different departments.We focus on professional fields in which refugees have experience, as well as those traditionally rooted on the island. Our operations are flexible, continuously adapting to the needs of the people we serve.By filling gaps in the support system, we foster a sense of community, improve living conditions for asylum seekers and refugees, and enhance mental well-being through daily structure, meaningful tasks, and responsibility.Previously, I served as Front Desk Manager, but I now hold the role of Board Member for Fundraising. My work involves identifying new grants and funding opportunities, establishing relationships with like-minded organizations, and ensuring Selfm.aid can continue its vital mission. By securing resources and partnerships, we can sustain and expand the fundamental work we do.
Navin Vithana
Director, Forced to Flee
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Hello! My name is Navin, and I am the Director of Forced To Flee, a youth-led non-profit dedicated to advocating for refugee rights. My journey as an advocate stems from a deep passion for amplifying the voices of those forced to flee their homes. I believe in the importance of raising awareness of their struggles, creating statements and campaigns whilst speaking at international platforms such as the OHCHR's Global Youth Consultation. Additionally, I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Education, Globalisation, and International Development at the University of Cambridge, where my research centers on youth refugees in higher education, and their resilience and achievements within this field.
Yanar Alkayat
Yoga therapist and facilitator, Tools for Inner Peace
Tools for Inner Peace seeks to empower refugees and conflict survivors to take charge of their own health and wellbeing. We have been offering free yoga classes for refugees and asylum seekers in the Liverpool area (Merseyside and Cheshire) since 2018. The importance of these classes was underscored in the aftermath of the anti-immigration protests and riots that spread from Merseyside across the country in July-August 2024. Traumatised by the rioting, our participants were grateful for the safe space in which they could come together for simple, trauma-alleviating practices of yoga. The physical movement and postures made them feel strong and empowered. Tools from yoga support them in becoming more active, and help to alleviate the mental health problems that tend to cluster in the refugee and asylum seeker population. These include social isolation and pre-existing trauma from violence, war, alienation, losing homes and loved ones.
Yanar is a registered yoga therapist and health and fitness writer and editor. She's been working with Tools for Inner Peace since its launch, supporting programmes in London and facilitating yoga workshops and retreats for refugees and support workers. She also teaches chair yoga for older adults and people managing chronic health conditions.
Olivia Clark
Executive Director, Refugee Legal Support
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Olivia has nearly a decade of experience working in human rights and refugee law in Australia, the UK, South Africa and Afghanistan. In her most recent role, Olivia led the legal team for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Afghanistan, managing the country’s largest legal aid program.
Previously, Olivia was the UK pro bono Director at DLA Piper, where she ran one of the UK’s largest pro bono practices. She helped to establish the firm’s sector-leading refugee law practice and worked closely with community organisations, law centres and UN agencies to design pro bono projects to address critical, unmet legal needs.
Olivia also has experience at the UN Refugee Agency. She worked on issues including statelessness and child protection in the Southern African region, and spent time working for the Division of International Protection in Geneva.
Abdalle Mumin
Secretary-General, Somali Journalists Syndicate
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Abdalle Mumin is a Somali journalist and human rights defender advocating for displaced communities. As a fellow at the Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York, he has lived in exile in the UK since mid-2023. He is also the Secretary-General of the Somali Journalists Syndicate. Throughout his career, Abdalle has faced repeated targeting due to his journalism and human rights work, forcing him to leave his country. He is also the co-author of the book Hounded: African Journalists in Exile.
Deluxe Mwengula
Young Outspoken Survivors Coordinator,
Freedom From Torture
Deluxe Mwengula is a Human Right activist, advocate and campaigner working at Freedom from Torture. He is a coordinator of Young Outspoken Survivors, member of Survivors Speak OUT and One Strong Voice networks. Deluxe is passionate about ensuring his lived experience expertise contributes to improving the lives of young refugees, and asylum seekers in the UK
Gulwali Passarlay
Author, activist and campaigner
Gulwali Passarlay, BA (Hon) MPA
Author of best-selling book 📖 📕 📚
The Lightless Sky, award winning Activist and Campaigner, and member of Asylum Speakers and part of NEON Spokesperson Network.
Gulwali is a dedicated advocate, humanitarian and spokesperson for refugees and asylum seekers across the U.K. and Europe.
Since arriving in the UK in 2007 after being forced to leave Afghanistan as a 12 year old boy, Gulwali has achieved beyond all odds to become a well-respected and sought after public speaker, influencer and political campaigner for refugee’s rights, social justice and education. The experience of his journey to the UK shaped his future and inspired an insatiable determination and commitment to raise awareness and make a difference for other refugees.
Among his many achievements, Gulwali graduated with a Politics degree from The University of Manchester in 2016 and he has read his MPA at Coventry university in 2018. Gulwali is the esteemed author of his best selling autobiography, "The Lightless Sky: A Twelve-Year-Old Refugee's Harrowing Escape from Afghanistan and His Extraordinary Journey Across Half The World", Also known as ‘My Journey to Safety as Child Refugee’.
In his talks, Gulwali shares his captivating story of struggle, danger and resilience and how he miraculously survived the harrowing year long journey from Afghanistan to the UK, on his own, after being separated from his brother. Through his talks, audience’s young and old, are able to achieve an understanding of the extent of adversity that refugees face and thus be inspired to instigate positive change in their environments.’
Seraye Delnissaw
Employment and Integration Advisor, Breaking Barriers
Seraye Delnissaw is an Employment and Integration Advisor at Breaking Barriers, where she has been supporting refugees in their journey to meaningful employment for the past 2.5 years. With extensive experience in career coaching, skills development, and integration support, Seraye works closely with refugees to help them overcome barriers and access opportunities in the UK workforce. Breaking Barriers is a leading charity dedicated to empowering refugees through bespoke employment support, education, and partnerships with businesses.
Past Events
Follow the links below to view the speaker lineup and photos from some of our past events.
Annual Conference 2024
Scroll down to read more about our confirmed speakers
Sveto Muhammad Ishoq
award winning women’s rights activist focused on uplifting marginalised Afghan voices
Sveto Muhammad Ishoq is an award-winning women’s rights advocate, a TEDx Speaker, social entrepreneur from Afghanistan. A true trailblazer in her field, Sveto is dedicated to empowering women economically and changing the ‘single story’ narrative about her home country. Her work on national and international platforms has been instrumental in promoting unheard Afghan experiences and amplifying Afghan women’s voices during the Taliban regime. Sveto began her activism at a young age of 14 by authoring publications on women’s rights in Afghanistan, and has since founded several organizations, including Ayat and Chadari.
She holds an MSc in Gender, Development and Globalisation from LSE, an MSc Degree in Economics and Business from Tsinghua University in China, and a BBA from the American University of Afghanistan. She is also Afghanistan’s first Schwarzman Scholar and the recipient of several prestigious awards, including the British Muslim Awards.
She has been selected as one of the three Women PeaceMaker Fellows from across the globe by Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice and is an Aspen Institute Rising Fellow. She sits on Board of Trustees in several organizations, including the World Hijab Day Organization, which operates in over 150 countries with the mission to dismantle Islamaphobia and transform the hijab narrative. Sveto’s efforts have been recognized by BBC, UNHCR, the UK House of Commons, Daily Express, etc.
Alexandra Lopoukhine
partnerships, advocacy and NGO management expert focused on human rights and legal aid
With over two decades of international work in partnership development, strategic communications, and fundraising, Alexandra is passionate about advancing social justice across diverse audiences. She has a proven track record of supporting positive shifts in accessing justice and facilitating innovative collaborations for meaningful engagement. Currently, Alexandra is the Managing Director for Rethinking Removals, whose mission is to scale carbon removal. Previously, she was the Head of Strategic Engagement at Women Political Leaders (WPL), a global network of female politicians; the Interim Executive Director at Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), a leading charity that advocates for the rights and dignity of migrants in the UK; and has held senior positions with Mercy Corps, and the World Economic Forum and Amnesty International Canada. She is bilingual in French and English, a world traveler, and a good-humoured, feminist leader.
Paul Knox Clarke
expert on the relationship between climate change and humanitarian action
An expert in humanitarian response, Paul served as head of research for the ALNAP, and is an associate lecturer at Oxford Brookes University. Paul is also principal of the ADAPT initiative, supporting humanitarian actors to strategically and operationally adapt to climate change. Previously, he has held various roles with the World Food Programme and Save the Children, and was Executive Director of Oxford Change Management.
Minoo Jalali
women's and legal rights activist and practitioner
Minoo Jalali-Naini is a retired Immigration Law Practitioner and women's rights campaigner, who is renowned for her campaigning for refugee and immigration issues in Britain.
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In 1978 Minoo was pursuing a postgraduate course in International Law in Oxford when the Iranian pre-revolutionary fervor to overthrow the Shah dictatorship began. Minoo and her husband decided to return to Iran and participated in the protests for democracy and social justice. Minoo has stated about the protests that: 'there was a defiance in the air, which was beautiful'. After the overthrow of the Shah, she focused campaigning against the regression of women's rights, particularly in the field of divorce and family law. She participated in the International Women's Day March on 8 March 1979 protesting the mandatory issue that women must wear Hijab. She joined and later became an executive member of the National Union of Women that was the largest women's organisation campaigning for equal rights. She was active within the Iranian Bar Association that was trying to safeguard its independence from the government's intervention. The effects of changes in family law were devastating for women and many needed advice and help to keep the custody of their children. All women judges had already been removed from their position and women lawyers were facing threats and intimidation. In this climate of fear, Minoo focused on providing pro bono advice and court representation to women who could not afford the legal fee. Her active role in the campaign of the National Union of Women against the introduction of Sharia Law resulted in her being labeled as an enemy of the state, and being unlawfully barred from Practice. She was forced to leave Iran in 1983.
Minoo returned to Britain, where she was granted asylum, and worked for the Citizen Rights Office in Edinburgh. Alongside other women activists, Minoo set up the first Asian women's refuge in Edinburgh. In 1987, she joined the Avon and Bristol Law Centre in Bristol, where she set up an immigration team to represent clients with asylum and immigration issues. In 1996, she became a founding member of the Refugee Women's Legal Group, highlighting a gendered perspective on refugee law.
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Minoo has worked with several organisations and community groups to promote a fair immigration policy and refugee protection. Between 1994-2016, she was a trustee of Refugee Action. In 2008, she was made a Trustee of Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrant (JCWI), an organisation, who first met in Boston Manor, which advocates for fair British immigration and nationality law challenging unjust laws and practices that lead to discrimination, and provision of legal assistance. Minoo was elected Chair of the JCWI in 2013 and continued in the post until March 2020 and continued as a board member. She is also on the board of the Immigrants Aid Trust, which works to protect and promote the rights, wellbeing and welfare of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees by supporting JCWI advice, research, advocacy and public education work. In June 2016, an orange plaque was erected in Old Street in Minoo's name by the JCWI to celebrate her work for refugee and immigrants.
Rima Amin
grassroots activist and founder of Cartoons not Cruelty campaign
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Rima is the founder of Cartoons Not Cruelty - a grassroots movement calling to restore cartoon murals for children in UK asylum centres after the Government removed them last year. The campaign also drives a more compassionate approach towards child refugees - with community activations happening across the UK. Rima enjoys getting nerdy about activism, storytelling, policy and coffee.
Jo Wilding
lecturer, researcher and writer specialising in legal aid and access to legal advice
Jo Wilding is a lecturer, researcher and writer specialising in legal aid and access to legal advice. She practised as an immigration and asylum lawyer for 9 years and jointly leads Sussex University's Migration Law Clinic. She made several trips to Iraq, where you wrote about the stories of ordinary Iraqi people living through sanctions, war and occupation, and founded a small circus working with children who had experienced trauma there in 2004.
Teia Rogers
feminist & rights-based development professional
Teia Rogers is a development professional specialising in organisational transformation, programme quality and effectiveness, strategic planning, and change management. As the Founder and Managing Director of JRNY Consulting, she has been at the forefront of advocating for feminist and rights-based approaches in complex operational landscapes. Teia has advanced participatory, equity-focused approaches that challenge ethnocentrism and reposition and privilege the lived experiences of Rights-Holders.  She believes that transformative change is most effective when organisations and teams are aligned with power-sensitive values rooted in their visions for change.
Tareq Shrourou
Director, Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights
Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights (LPHR) is a legal charity in the UK that works on projects focused on protecting and promoting Palestinian human rights. Tareq is Director and Principal Lawyer of LPHR. Prior he was a practising human rights solicitor and led the public legal advice service at the prominent human rights organisation, Liberty.
Tareq leads on LPHR’s legal work, policy positioning, government and parliamentary engagement, education activities and outreach. He supervises and works with LPHR’s Executive Committee who provide outstanding voluntary support. He devises and implements LPHR’s strategy with the oversight of its expert Board of Trustees and has responsibility for LPHR’s profile and impact.
Before becoming LPHR’s first Director in 2013, Tareq worked as a human rights solicitor representing asylum claimants, unaccompanied children and survivors of human trafficking. In this position he was specifically referred serious and complex cases from two prominent UK human rights organisations, Freedom from Torture and Liberty. He represented the Pakistan test-match cricketer, Zulqarnain Haider, in a high profile asylum claim.
Prior to being a practising solicitor, Tareq co-supervised the free legal advice service at Liberty which helps hundreds of individuals each year, after completing his legal training at a leading civil liberties law firm in London.
Tareq holds an LLB law degree from SOAS, University of London, an LLM in Public International Law from King’s College London, University of London, and completed the LPC with a distinction. He is mixed heritage, with an English mother and Palestinian father.
Moud Goba
advocacy and charity management expert focused on protection and inclusion services for LGBTQI+ migrants
Moud currently works as a National Manager for Micro Rainbow, the leading organisations in the UK supporting LGBTQI migrants. She leads the organisation programmes at national level: their safe housing work which provides 24,000 bed-nights a year to homeless LGBTQI asylum seekers and their social inclusion and employability schemes. More recently Moud has managed the integration process of LGBTQI people who arrived to the UK from Afghanistan. Moud is one of the founding members of UK Black Pride and she is the current Chair of their Board of Trustees. Moud was recently named as one of the BBC 100 women for 2022 and was the recipient of an Attitude Pride Award. Her pronouns are she/her.
