Telco Citizens Refounding Assembly

by Bayan Tuerxunbayi (Equal Voice Class)

We went to York Hall and attended an Assembly on 9th March 2017. It was a fast paced, dynamic and focused meeting, full of exciting stories and as well as inspiring hope for the future. There were many facilities for food and refreshments. There were many people who came from different organisations. We also listened to a few songs from a children’s choir of 150 singers, stories from history - Martin Luther King Jr, the Salvation Army, the matchstick girls, the dockers and music from a student orchestra. After that many people spoke about different problems as well as live public negotiation, and the setting out of TELCO’s vision for East London over the next 20 years. My friends spoke about energy bill problems. I was very happy and became more confident when my friends spoke on stage. When we finished, we took pictures and people threw balloons and confetti from the balcony. Everyone was very happy.

The promises that were made showed a sign of hope and a new beginning. It was an exciting and inspiring event that will give hope in our difficult climate. We believe East London future will be better.

What my Equal Voices classmates thought about the event:

• Kikelomo Akande: “I spoke about cheaper energy and what I have experienced. There were many other speeches. Everybody celebrated with balloons and confetti. I feel happy because I spoke confidently."
• Amina Sakhi: “What moved me the most was the presence of Syria’s family who thanked the country that embraced them. Later on ELATT students spoke about energy and its importance in our daily lives.”
• Anita Srdenovic: “Paul spoke about Bridge builders. These are not physical bridges. They are bridges of trust, bridges of justice, bridges of relational power for the common good. We took pictures and we now have more confidence speaking on stage.”
• Pankita Rajesh: “These promises were an exciting and inspiring event that will give hope in our difficult climate. We believe East London’s future will be better. I feel more confident and I am really proud to take part in the assembly and speaking in front of many people”