Background 

For the past year, Right to Remain has focused on building relationships with people – people in the asylum and immigration sector, people on the intersection with other social justice causes, people involved in activism and campaigning, while centering people going through the system themselves. One of the things this has taught us is the importance of building our movement’s energy level, when the relentless Hostile Environment tries to break us. And that energy can come from a simple but careful act of sharing and valuing our own experiences and planning our next steps together. 

It was from this experience that Solidarity Sessions was born. This blog will explain a little more about what Solidarity Sessions are, how they were conceived, why they are important, and how you can request one for your area. 

The idea for the Solidarity Sessions format was born at our event in Manchester in October 2023 on preparing our communities for the impact of the Illegal Migration Act. We realised we needed to build a space where groups from all types of organisation, role or background could come together, connect, learn, brainstorm, and ultimately, step up to the challenges proposed by the even more hostile environment. 

At the same time, internally Right to Remain was working through our refreshed Theory of Change, which combines building knowledge (public legal education), building radical solidarity (strategic convening) and building power (campaign and community organising). Solidarity Sessions therefore are a way to put our Theory of Change into practise. 

Purpose 

The principle of Solidarity Sessions is to combine the three elements of our Theory of Change, in one session, rooted in specific geographical location. There is no prescriptive format and its content / emphasis can change according to the people involved, the topic that is of the most interest and the context of the location. 

The Solidarity Sessions aim to provide a space for sharing information, networking and collaboration. They also provide a foundation for this type of convening to happen regularly, by building connections and solidarity between groups in the same area, who are fighting the same fight. These sessions bring people together, building the foundations for lasting change making. 

Manchester and Liverpool

We have been running regular Solidarity Sessions in Manchester and Liverpool since December 2023. These events have been in collaboration with local organisations, such as GMIAU, and Asylum Link Merseyside. These regular convenings have allowed space to connect with new groups, bring different types of groups into the migration justice conversation (such as destitution and health groups), hear about local campaigns and galvanise actions. Read about them in full below. 

You can also read about our Bristol Solidarity Session in June below: 

Do you want a Solidarity Session in your area?

Solidarity Sessions are available by request. Requests can be made by mainstream or grassroots groups in the area/surrounding areas, individual activists who are involved / interested in migration justice and people who are going through the system. 

We will go where there is energy and enthusiasm for radical solidarity. There is no criteria for a Solidarity Session, the only thing we require is at least 4 different groups in the area to come together and express their interest. It may be that one group takes lead in partnering with Right to Remain to deliver the event, but Solidarity Sessions requires involvement from more than one organisation. 

We are open to the content of the session. Please have a look at this page, which shows the different types of workshop available. These can be adapted to suit your area’s needs. We can also suggest a particular thematic focus, which might be of interest to you. 

Please use the form below to express interest in hosting a Solidarity Session in your area. We look forward to hearing from you.