Royal Greenwich Celebrates Solidarity With European Nationals

by our RBG Correspondent in Woolwich

Friendship, solidarity and a commitment to building the local economy were the themes of a celebration of European Union (EU) nationals living and working in Royal Greenwich held last week (Sep 30).

The event, which was organised by the Royal Borough and hosted at Woolwich Town Hall welcomed over 100 guests including distinguished members of the European embassies, community members, businesses, students, lecturers, community organisations and European colleagues living and working in Royal Greenwich. 

Cllr Denise Hyland, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greench (top) addressed guests and welcomed Tadej Rupel, the Ambassador of Slovenia, Charles Denier, Deputy General Consul for Embassy of France, and Michel Mazurek, Head of the Polish Embassy’s Consular Section in London. 

The celebration illustrated the strength of The Royal Borough’s ties with other European countries and the important contribution of the people and businesses based locally. It also sent a strong message that the Council will not tolerate discrimination towards anyone, particularly in the wake of a national rise in hate crimes seen in the aftermath of the EU referendum result. 

The event also underlined the Council’s commitment to building on its excellent record of growing the local economy, encouraging regeneration and creating jobs.

Cllr Hyland said: “I am proud to see, once again, that one of the Royal Borough's greatest strengths is its diversity within a strong and united local community. The Council is committed to ensuring the Royal Borough continues to be a place where people can feel safe and be proud of who they are. 

* Guests celebrate the role of EU nationals
in the Royal Borough

“That’s why we felt it was really important for us to demonstrate to our community that our values have not changed following the outcome of the EU referendum.

“It is a priority to ensure that the Royal Borough continues to enhance its reputation as a world-class destination for tourists and businesses from both the EU and across the globe. I am also committed to developing our economy which will provide a secure platform for local businesses and serve as an attractive place for larger investment and regeneration.

“It was deeply concerning to learn that there had been an increase in racial discrimination across the nation following the EU referendum result. The Council works closely with the police and together we will continue to ensure that reports of hate crimes are taken extremely seriously and provide support for victims. 

“We must all stand together to tackle hate crime of any kind.” 

Visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/hatecrime to find out about how the Council tackles hate crime and to get support if you have been a victim of hate crime. 

The Royal Borough will be launching a week of activities from the 10 October as part of the national Hate Crime Awareness Week campaign. The week highlights our work with partners and community groups to engage with and support victims of hate crime, helping them to rebuild their lives after an incident. 

Local people can show support for Hate Crime Awareness Week on twitter at the handle @Royal_Greenwich and using the hash tags #NHCAW and #GreenwichTogether.