King Charles III meets with Sudanese community

Image: Guests at today’s event with His Majesty The King © Sam Churchill

His Majesty was given a traditional Sudanese welcome, where guests exclaimed ‘marhaba’, an Arabic word for welcome and ‘zugruta’, a form of ululation.

We were glad to support our sister charity, Waging Peace, in staging this significant event, bringing together guests who have made the UK their home. The event was held to mark ‘Darfur20’, the 20th anniversary of the start of the Sudan’s genocide in Darfur and countrywide persecution and atrocities.

Amouna Adam, a survivor of the genocide in Darfur, who commemorated Holocaust Memorial Day with HM The King and The Queen Consort, introduced His Majesty to members of her community. Some had brought personal artefacts that represented their life in Sudan or new beginnings in the UK.

Amouna said:

It was such an honour to meet His Majesty. I’m deeply touched by his interest in my personal story and my community at large. His decision to meet and talk to us about our experiences is a source of strength and we also see it as a powerful symbol that the suffering we’ve endured over the last 20 year will not be forgotten.

Waging Peace reflected:

We were so pleased to be able to host this space alongside the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust for His Majesty the King to meet individuals from the Sudanese community. 2023 marks 20 years since the genocide and atrocity crimes in the Darfur region of Sudan came to international attention and concern, and in those decades violence has continued or even worsened not just in Darfur, but in other areas of the country, including the Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile, the east, the north, as well as in the centre and capital itself following 2021’s military coup. Survivors of this violence seek safety, and rebuild their lives, in Great Britain, and make huge contributions to British society – it is amazing to see this being recognised by His Majesty.

To mark the 20th anniversary of the genocide in Darfur, Waging Peace are running the Peace by Piece textile project, which encourages Sudanese women to decorate a square of fabric to represents them, which together will create an enormous toub. Pieces for the project were created at today’s event and displayed for His Majesty.

Rachel Century, our Director of Public Engagement and Deputy Chief Executive, said of the event:

It was intensely moving to see His Majesty The King engaging with members of the Sudanese community – many of whom rarely have their voices heard. We were delighted to support our sister charity, Waging Peace, who ran this significant event, bringing together guests who have rebuilt their lives across the UK. His Majesty’s interest in the UK’s Sudanese community, and his warmth and empathy in listening to them, will not only inspire the Sudanese community in general, and survivors of the genocide in Darfur in particular, but will also help bring a greater public awareness and understanding of the genocide in Darfur.

You can view photos from the day in the gallery below.