Black Lives Matter Solidarity Statement

We acknowledge that this solidarity statement is late in responding to the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. This July at the General Assembly of Clowns Without Borders international, we started a series of anti-racism workshops looking at institutionalised racism. We created a steering committee to review internal procedures, representativity, equity and inclusion. The aim is to build a diversity policy accompanied by an implementation strategy with action points. This is the work of a lifetime and takes time. We commit to transparency and accountability in our process and will publish our progress on the website.

Black Lives Matter Solidarity Statement

Clowns Without Borders International (CWBi) stands in unequivocal support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement. CWBi’s mission is to serve communities, predominantly children and youths, experiencing crisis, and often human rights abuses. The systemic, continuous violence against Black, Indigineous, People of Colour (BIPOC) is a human rights abuse. BIPOC life, dignity and liberation matter. 

As clowns, circus artists and theatre performers, we recognise the responsibility of upholding anti-racist principles in our work both on and off the stage. We know that our credibility and impact as a humanitarian organisation is only effective if we reflect and respect the immensely diverse nature of those in the communities that we serve. 

CWBi strives to be an active anti-racist organisation, and recognise this is the work of a lifetime. To this end, we are currently working on our commitments, strategies, trainings and reviewing our internal protocols addressing anti-racism, diversity and inclusion. We have created a steering group to implement these changes in our work as an international organisation and commit to transparency and accountability in our progress.