UK Western Sahara Solidarity Conference
In October 2023 a couple of trustees from the WSSG attended a conference in London to look at ways of linking up with the efforts of other pro Sahrawi organisations, both to support the development of projects in the camps and also, more importantly, to raise the profile of and increase awareness around the right to self determination and the right to return home for the Western Saharans currently located in refugee camps in southern Algeria where they have been since 1975. Present at the conference alongside ourselves, were Olive Branch Arts , Adala, Sandblast Arts, the Western Sahara Campaign, members from the Polisario and a number of Saharawi young people based in the UK. It was a really motivating experience for us all and a number of joint projects have sprung up as a result. For us, the WSSG, we hope to work alongside Olive Branch Arts and others from the conference to hold a photography exhibition in Manchester in July 2024. We are also planning on increasing participation in our annual Big Ramble Sept 7th 2024 and part of this will be to encourage young Sahrawis to share their stories and experiences from the Occupied territories. The Conference will be an annual event held in the autumn.
