Edinburgh World Justice Festival begins this weekend

On Saturday 1 October 2016 the Edinburgh World Justice Festival will begin two weeks of a programme which will look at migration and refugee rights.

The movement began after the Make Poverty History march involving 225,000 people took place. The campaigners demanded that world leaders took action to end the rich/poor divide.

Speakers at the festival include Syrian human rights lawyer Leila Alodaat who will talk about refugee and migrant women, and Syrian public health expert Khuloud Alsaba who will discuss the effects of Syria’s civil war on her country’s people.

The festival will also feature the only UK date in a series of concerts taking place across three continents during October in support of the Free West Papua campaign. West Papua has suffered a brutal occupation by Indonesia since 1963.

Festival chairperson Matthew Crighton says, ‘Edinburgh is a globally connected city, with an extraordinary network of people campaigning on issues from climate change to gender equality to support for refugees in Scotland. The festival is a way to share ideas and to bring the issues to a wider audience. We hope this year’s discussions, talks, concerts and exhibitions will inspire people to take action on the big issues affecting us in Scotland and across the world.’

The Edinburgh World Justice Festival runs from 1 – 19 October. View the full programme at www.ewjf.org.uk