Last Friday 54 young people were killed in a terrorist attack on an education centre in a predominantly Hazara neighbourhood of Kabul, Afghanistan. More than 120 of their classmates were injured.

Most of those killed or injured were school-aged girls and boys.

Please - will you stand with the Australian-Hazara community by joining an urgent vigil near you?

Melbourne: Sun 9 October, 6:30pm, Harmony Square, Dandenong
Sydney: Sat 8 October, 12:00pm, Belmore Park
Brisbane: Sat 8 October, 3:00pm, King George Square
Perth: Sat 8 October, 2:00pm, Forrest Chase
Adelaide: Tue 11 October, 3:30pm, South Australian Parliament House
Canberra: Sun 9 October, 6:30pm, Civic Square, London Circuit
Geelong: Mon 10 October, 6:00pm, Johnstone Park 

Hazara people have long been the target of sectarian violence, systemic discrimination and persecution in Afghanistan. They have never known safety while the Taliban have reigned.
 
Since the Taliban’s return to power, Hazara people in Afghanistan again face genocide, in the form of targeted killings in the places of worship, schools, hospitals, sports centres and other social spaces.

Hundreds of Hazara men, women and children have been killed. Many more have been forcibly displaced.

Please join an urgent vigil near you, as the Australian-Hazara community calls on the Albanese government to respond to the dramatic escalation of violence against the Hazara people in Afghanistan by:

Formally recognising and condemning the genocidal violence against Hazaras in Afghanistan
Convening an emergency roundtable with the Australian-Hazara community
Committing to 20,000 emergency additional humanitarian visas focusing on at-risk groups such as Hazaras
Granting permanent protection to Hazara refugees currently on temporary protection visas in Australia
Thank you for the action you’ve taken so far in support of people from Afghanistan so far. Please stand with Hazaras in Australia now, to demand that the Australian government immediately take these urgent actions.

Yours in solidarity,
 
P.S. Can you please help spread the word by sharing on Facebook and re-tweeting the details of the vigils, using the hashtag #StopHazaraGenocide?