Articles
On this page there are numerous reflections on the region's heritage of human rights and community cohesion work There are also poems, stories and songs on the Music/Writing page.
Reflecting on and celebrating the past
Here are some articles reflecting on our heritage of human rights and community cohesion.
From the Crowd: Remembering the Peterloo MassacreAugust 2019 saw the bicentenary of the Peterloo Massacre in Manchester. Peter Sagar from A Living Tradition attended a special event to commemorate the tragedy and also a concert two days later at the Tynesdie Irish Centre on the same theme. Here are his reviews of these two important events.
The Pitmen's Great Stand of 1765
1765 saw a great strike by workers on the Northeast Coalfield, which played its part in the development of a regional consciousness, which was all about solidarity, fairness and tolerance. Click below to find out more:
The Rev James Murray was a radical preacher in late 18th century Newcastle. Learn more about this fascinating character here.
Paul Robeson was the first of three great iconic Afro-Americans who were honoured in Newcastle in the 20th century. Here is an eye witness account from Margaret Stevenson, who heard Paul sing in Newcastle's City hall and then developed a friendship with Robeson.
To the right is a picture showing Martin Luther King speaking to those assembled after receiving an honorary degree at Newcastle University in November 1967. Newcastle University was the only university in Britain to honour Martin Luther King in his lifetime.
For more information about the visit of Dr. Martin Luther King to Newcastle see below.
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The North-east of England was the most unionised region of Britain by the end of the 19th century. To learn more about the part played by Methodism in the development of this part of our traditions of solidarity click here:
Toyaha Chowdhury, who is 11 years old and from South Shields, has been working with A Living Tradition. Here are some of his reflections on the human rights heritage of North-east England.
picture from ocf.berkeley.edu
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| when_martin_came_to_newcastle.pdf |
The story of Frederick Douglass
Newcastle people have a long record of supporting civil rights for Afro-Americans. Read here how the actions of two Newcastle women helped to kick start the U.S. Civil Rights movement.
Torn from Home |
Radical Roots: A Short History of Northeast England; Human Rights and Community Cohesion
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Editor's notes: The old Tyne bridge was destroyed in a flood in 1771 and Rev Murray campaigned about its rebuilding in 1772. r The regiment that was involved in the Relief of Belsen was the 113th L.A.A. (D.L.I.) R.A. regiment affiliated to the DLI and this was in April 1845. |
Please see here amended version n of Chapter 1 of Radical Roots with correct date of 1771 for the date the the old Tyne bridge was washed away in a flood.
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This is the story of Smajo Beso and his family, originally from Bosnia, who now live in High Heaton in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, after fleeing the war in Bosnia in the 1990's.
The story is also on the Heaton History Group website.
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Reflecting on the presentHere are some articles reflecting on human rights and community cohesion in our region today.
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Britain is sending asylum seekers back to the Democratic Republic of Congo. There is compelling evidence that many are being subjected to torture, imprisonment, rape and many other human rights abuse when they get back to the DRC. A North-east refugee charity called Justice First is leading the search for the truth and justice for asylum seekers from the DRC.
To learn more about this and the evidence by clicking on the link below. Please also go to the Campaigns page to help stop asylum seekers being sent back from the UK to torture and death in the DRC.
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Here are some reflections from an Iranian living in South Shields today:
A Karen Refugee Camp in Thailand
Here is an article about helping refugees from Burma living in Thailand
Aung San Suu kyi is probably the world's most famous campaigner for human rights. In June 2011, at the instigation of Peter Sagar from A Living Tradition, Aung San Suu Kyi was given ther freedom of Newcastle. Here you can read some more information about Aung San Suu Kyi and how her beliefs have shaped her work for human rights and democracy in Burma.
In the Refugee Camp
Unsafe Return
Please click below to read the report Unsafe Return by Catherine Ramos of Justice First, which documents abuses against asylum seekers returned from the UK to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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A number of people from North-east England in recent years have helped a peace community in Colombia called San Jose de Apartado. Here is an article about this brave community rejecting the violence of both sides during the brutal civil war.
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Cleaning up the River Tyne
The Newcastle Quayside is now a major tourist attraction on Tyneside. But it certainly wasn't always like that! Read an account from one of those who worked to clean up the River Tyne so all the new developments could take place...
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| making_peace.pdf |
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picture from forusa
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Community Cohesion
There are those who say it is difficult for multicultural societies with real diversity to be knit toigether as one community. But is that really the case? Read below an article challenging some of the misconceptions about the different beliefs held in our multicultural societies.
| living_in_peace.pdf |
Acorn in Newcastle
ACORN is an community grassroots organisation, which begun work in the Heaton area of Newcastle in the summer of 2015. They have been working with local residents on housing issues, particularly those pertaining to the rented sector, Housing problems have a long history on Tyneside, as in so many other conurbations and many problems remain today. Read below to see what some of the problems in Heaton are and what ACORN are doing about helping residents to overcome them,
| from_small_acorns.pdf |
What of the future for our region?
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Read here how we can use a knowledge of the region's past to prevent the kind of slide towards genoicidal violence in the future:
To the right is the main gate at Auschwitz Death Camp, with the cynical legend, "Arbeit macht frei" - Work Makes You Free. A warning from history?
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Writing and Poetry published in NE Bylines
Talking about human rights - North East Bylines
Rebuilding communities - North East Bylines
Newcastle West End Foodbank - North East Bylines
Green jobs for a green future - North East Bylines
Gibson's Cave - North East Bylines
The proposed barge for asylum seekers at Teesport - North East Bylines
A Just Transition (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Refugee Week in Sunderland (northeastbylines.co.uk)
The Beekeeper of Aleppo (northeastbylines.co.uk)
North Sea Sky (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Bolam Lake (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Learning my history (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Easy cities to buy: Fairsquare report (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Coal at Beamish (northeastbylines.co.uk)
The song remains the same (northeastbylines.co.uk)
I am (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Remembering Srebrenica (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Hell's deadly door (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Learning our history part 1: Murray, Spence and Bewick (northeastbylines.co.uk)
A green future is needed (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Learning our history part 1: Murray, Spence and Bewick (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Learning Our History (Part 2) The North East Against Slavery (northeastbylines.co.uk)
"People need the west to care, but not to interfere": interview with Iranian artist and activist (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Labour's green policies (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Learning our history 3: Trade unions (northeastbylines.co.uk)
The new trees (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Learning Our History 4: Joseph Cowen and Radical Newcastle (northeastbylines.co.uk)
The Long Walk (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Human rights in Iran: an update (northeastbylines.co.uk)
The UK's withdrawal from the European Court of Human Rights (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Talking about human rights - North East Bylines
Rebuilding communities - North East Bylines
Newcastle West End Foodbank - North East Bylines
Green jobs for a green future - North East Bylines
Gibson's Cave - North East Bylines
The proposed barge for asylum seekers at Teesport - North East Bylines
A Just Transition (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Refugee Week in Sunderland (northeastbylines.co.uk)
The Beekeeper of Aleppo (northeastbylines.co.uk)
North Sea Sky (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Bolam Lake (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Learning my history (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Easy cities to buy: Fairsquare report (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Coal at Beamish (northeastbylines.co.uk)
The song remains the same (northeastbylines.co.uk)
I am (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Remembering Srebrenica (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Hell's deadly door (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Learning our history part 1: Murray, Spence and Bewick (northeastbylines.co.uk)
A green future is needed (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Learning our history part 1: Murray, Spence and Bewick (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Learning Our History (Part 2) The North East Against Slavery (northeastbylines.co.uk)
"People need the west to care, but not to interfere": interview with Iranian artist and activist (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Labour's green policies (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Learning our history 3: Trade unions (northeastbylines.co.uk)
The new trees (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Learning Our History 4: Joseph Cowen and Radical Newcastle (northeastbylines.co.uk)
The Long Walk (northeastbylines.co.uk)
Human rights in Iran: an update (northeastbylines.co.uk)
The UK's withdrawal from the European Court of Human Rights (northeastbylines.co.uk)
