There’s A Campaign To Project The Faces Of Kids On Nauru Onto The Sydney Opera House
They've already raised more than $100,000.
After a week of controversy over the use of the Sydney Opera House to promote the Everest Cup horse race, a crowdfunding campaign is raising money in order to project the faces of children imprisoned on Nauru onto the side of the iconic landmark.
The chuffed.org campaign was launched on Wednesday night, and by Saturday afternoon had already raised more than $103,000.
“On Tuesday night, our iconic Opera House was turned into a billboard for a horse race,” wrote organiser Simon Holmes à Court. “I’m asking for your help to secure Australia’s “biggest billboard” to help get the #KidsOffNauru.”
“I don’t want to sell a product, I want to tell this important story, to make a public service announcement that is surely above partisan politics.”
Holmes à Court says he’s already reached out to the Opera House, and has been contacted by “dozens of talented Australians with the required expertise”. He’s also apparently received permission from parents on Nauru to use images of their children.
“I will work with refugee advocates to ensure that this is done professionally, sensitively and with the utmost consideration for the children’s welfare in mind,” he wrote.
Should the Opera House reject the plan, Holmes à Court said he would “lobby Sydney’s most powerful radio personalities”, in reference to the role Alan Jones played in helping the Everest Cup projections get approved.
According to World Vision Australia, which spearheads the #KidsOffNauru campaign, there are currently more than 80 asylum seeker children imprisoned on Nauru. The aim of the campaign is to get them all brought to Australia by Universal Children’s Day on November 20.
Earlier this week, the government of Nauru ordered Doctors Without Borders to stop providing mental health services to asylum seekers. The organisation has described the situation on the island as “beyond desperate” and called for an immediate evacuation of all asylum seekers to Australia.
In August, a 12-year-old girl on Nauru attempted to take her own life by setting herself on fire. Medical staff on the island have previously expressed their concerns that unless the Australian government changes course, children on the island will likely die.
This is George. He’s two. He likes to play with toy cars 🚗 and oh yeah he might never be allowed to leave Nauru – an island the size of Melbourne airport. This is his life in INDEFINITE detention. Help #KidsOffNauru get George onto the #sydneyoperahouse https://t.co/NA5Uxkll8M pic.twitter.com/9ck2iXkVcw
— kidsoffnauru (@kidsoffnauru) October 10, 2018
If you would like to support the chuffed.org campaign, you can find it here.
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h/t SBS News