Residents invited to remember Stephen Lawrence 30 years later

On Saturday 22 April, the Royal Borough of Greenwich invites residents to mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Stephen Lawrence Day with a community event in Woolwich.

Stephen Lawrence was murdered on 22 April 1993 in an unprovoked racist attack. Stephen Lawrence Day is a celebration of his life and legacy that occurs annually on the anniversary of his death.

Stephen had ambitions to use his talents for math, art and design to become an architect, and to make a positive impact on his community.

The council will remember Stephen from 11am to 4pm in General Gordon Square, Woolwich, where people will contribute artwork exploring the theme of ‘Hopeful Futures’ to the Stephen Lawrence Research Centre. Everyone will be able to add to a vision of a future where all of our communities live life to the fullest and enjoy the same opportunities as friends and neighbors.

Clerk Anthony Okereke, leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich, said: “The Royal Borough of Greenwich shares the aspirations of the Stephen Lawrence Foundation to learn from the tragedy of Stephen’s death. We want to create a future in which he thrives and succeeds in his dream of becoming an architect.

“As we come together to celebrate Stephen’s 30-year legacy, our thoughts are with all who knew and loved him. I hope that by continuing to share his story with the youth of our city, we can inspire a new generation to drive the change we still need to see in our society.

Councilor Adel Khaireh, Cabinet Member for Equality, Culture and Communities, said: “We continue to face the challenge of discrimination and we acknowledge that there is still much progress to be made.

“We are committed to ensuring that our city is one where everyone is inspired, encouraged and supported to realize their full potential without barriers or discrimination.”

“Our Equality and Equity Charter has now been signed by 388 organizations within Royal Greenwich and we know many more share our vision to end inequality. Together we can continue Stephen’s legacy And create a community where everyone is set up to succeed.

The council, architects HTA Design and Thomas Tallis School have also joined together to mark the anniversary and celebrate the ability of young people to make their dreams come true and design a hopeful future. A group of 12th grade students worked with the architects to learn about Stephen’s story. They have developed a mural which will be installed on hoardings around our Kidbrooke Park Road council housing scheme. The artwork will be unveiled at a ceremony on Thursday 20 April.

Cllr Aidan Smith, cabinet member for regeneration, said: “The Royal Borough of Greenwich is committed to working with contractors who support the principles of equality and equity. HTA Design offers opportunities to aspiring young designers as part of their Social Values ​​Outreach programme.

“He has drawn up a number of council homes schemes under the Greenwich Builds programme, which will build 1,750 new council homes for local people on the housing waiting list. We are proud to work with an organization that shares the Council’s values ​​of creating an equitable future for all of our youth.

About the Equality and Equity Charter

Royal Greenwich is a vibrant, dynamic borough and home to many diverse communities – one of our greatest strengths. However, this diversity also presents challenges and inequalities that need to be addressed to ensure that our city is a place where everyone can succeed and prosper, regardless of your background.

Our Equality and Equity Charter pledges to promote the values ​​of equality, diversity and inclusion. We have an important role to play in shaping what life is like in Royal Greenwich, but we can’t do it alone.

We’re encouraging local organizations to sign the charter and deliver on its eight pledges, so we can unlock opportunities for all people in our boroughs.

Sign the Equality and Equity Charter