Amal Azzudin Interview

In this episode, I'm delighted to have with me Amal Azzudin, the newly appointed youth co-ordinator of Scottish Fair Trade. For someone so young she has had already a fully and productive life. At the age of 15 she came to prominence when, along with a group of friends, who became known as the Glasgow Girls, she protested against the unlawful arrest and transportation of an asylum seeker friend and family from their flat in Glasgow to a detention centre in England. Their protests took them to the Scottish Parliament to meet the then first minister, Jack McConnell, and successfully led to the family being returned home and Amal to become a campaigner for asylum seekers and refugees.

Amal has also worked with the Mental Health Foundation helping refugees tell their stories as a form of therapy. She's an ambassador for the Scottish Refugee Council and has worked with the West of Scotland Development Education Centre raising awareness for the plight of people who've had to leave their homes. Amal visited the refugee camps at Lesbos and Calais to bear witness to what was really happening. Now, we're fortunate to have her skills and experience in the fair trade community in Scotland and I look forward to see how we benefit.

Amal is a courageous woman who has stood up to call out the injustices but also to support those who have suffered from the treatment they have received in trying to get to our country. Again and again, she talks about the importance of someone telling their story, both as a form of therapy and also as a way revealing the truth of what is happening to refugees across the world. We also talk about how there is a connection between fair trade and those who are forced to leave their homes.

Email us on info@rainbowturtle.org.uk

Audio track that introduces all episodes

Audio clip to exit all episodes in podcast