We are one team.’: Glasgow basketball legend, Kieron Achara, launches pro-migration campaign

Former Scotland, Great Britain and Glasgow Rocks basketball player, Kieron Achara, has helped launch a new campaign led by Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC).

Kieron Achara

Anti-racism campaigners Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC) are launching the new initiative to celebrate migration across the UK and in particular the regions of the Northeast, West Midlands and Scotland.

Using education, facts and sporting role models, the initiative aims to challenge and address many of the myths surrounding migrants and celebrate the enormous contribution made by those who have sought asylum and sanctuary in the UK.

SRtRC will work alongside sector partners IMIX and Migrant Voice on this innovative new campaign. Sport is well known as an area that transcends barriers, builds friendship and trust, positively impacting people’s opinions and perceptions. The campaign will take learning from SRtRC’s current education programme, IMIX’s sector expertise in narrative change with Migrant Voice providing contributions from people with lived experience.

The campaign, called ‘Migration. Making Britain Great’, comes as the UK government and media continue to use migrants as a scapegoat to other failings.

Former Glasgow Rocks legend, Kieron Achara who is also on the Advisory Committee of Show Racism the Red Card Scotland, has recorded a video message about the new campaign, in it he says: “As a former basketball player and sportsperson, I saw first-hand how migration helped benefit our sports and it’s not just in sport, other businesses, industries and our economy are all enhanced by New Scots, some fleeing persecution and war, others just looking to better their lives and their families.

“But with this negativity that’s going on right now, a lot of people are really starting to stigmatise our New Scots and I challenge you to step up against this, it is our diverse thoughts and faces that help make Scotland unique and enhances everything we do.”

Ged Grebby, CEO at SRtRC, said: “Scotland has a long history of welcoming migrants from across the world. Football clubs (men and women) across Scotland have players from many different countries that bring a diversity of talent to our national game.

“Show Racism the Red Card have over 27 years of experience in producing anti-racism educational resources using the high profile of professional sports personalities. Many of these players have expressed a wish to follow Gary Lineker’s lead in standing up in solidarity with some of the world’s most vulnerable people. SRtRC have a long track record of working with both Gary Lineker and Migrant Voice on a series of films to combat racism towards asylum seekers, refugees and migrants. We are proud to stand in solidarity with refugees and work with our partners to change the narrative around immigration being a negative for our society. The opposite is true: immigration makes Scotland great, and we should be celebrating that.”

Nazek Ramadan, Director at Migrant Voice, said: “We are immensely proud to be partners with Show Racism the Red Card and IMIX on this incredibly important project. As sport shows, immigration, and the diversity it brings, makes our country stronger and more dynamic. We are one team and as a team we all stand together.”