This month I am working on a project to assist 50 artists, filmmakers and musicians in Afghanistan who are at risk of persecution by the new Taliban administration and are seeking asylum in Australia. I am currently co-ordinating a team of 30 volunteers who are hard at work on Humanitarian Visa applications and we will soon be campaigning the Australian Government to recognise these artists as a special 'at risk' group. This project is not funded and relying on our volunteers. Buy Me A Coffee will help me spend time co-ordinating these volunteers of this project.
For more information, read this statement below by Dr Katherine Schofield running the UK sister project:
"In the past six weeks the Taliban have carried out assassinations of traditional musicians; beaten performers; banned music on radio stations and in public places; and destroyed instruments in institutions such as the national broadcaster, RTA. Afghan musicians are now in hiding, moving from house to house, terrified for their lives. They are at imminent and extreme risk.
All of these musicians embody a vision of Afghanistan’s future in which freedom of expression and ethnic harmony can flourish. We believe that the public, and our own musical and creative arts community, would overwhelmingly support the resettlement of these unique and highly skilled musicians in the UK, offering them homes and opportunities to perform.
As a global champion of freedom of expression, the United Kingdom has given sanctuary to many refugee musicians over the years, who in turn have enriched our musical life. In light of this, we call on the government to offer urgent humanitarian visas to Afghan musicians so the UK can play its part in ensuring they — and their invaluable cultural heritage — are not lost for ever."