CHOOSE LOVE HAS BECOME A REAL MOVEMENT – CAN YOU TELL US HOW IT ALL STARTED?
We’re a movement of people trying to create a world that treats everyone with love, and where displaced communities have what they need to thrive. It started as a conversation with a group of friends in 2015, when headlines of mass displacement from Syria and mistreatment of refugees was hitting the public consciousness alongside the tragedy of the three-year-old Syrian boy, Alan Kurdi’s body being found washed up on a beach after he drowned trying to reach safety.
That moment was a wake-up call, and they set up a fundraiser to help buy supplies for people arriving in Calais. Very quickly, they found that it really struck a chord – people were looking for a way to help. Now, almost 11 years later, we’ve supported over 9 million people with basic essentials, emergency support, and rebuilding their lives after being forcibly displaced.
FROM A ONE-OFF ACTION TO A GLOBAL NETWORK – DID YOU EVER EXPECT IT TO REACH THIS SCALE, AND WHAT’S SURPRISED YOU MOST?
I don’t think anyone did! I’m always surprised and delighted by how Choose Love time and time again proves that, as humans, we always have more in common than that which divides us. We might all have different life experiences, and different challenges and joys, but ultimately, we all need similar things. Every single person should be able to live in safety, freedom and dignity – and that’s the world Choose Love is trying to create.
FROM A QUICK RESPONSE TO A CRISIS, IT HAS REALLY GROWN INTO SOMETHING MORE. WHY DID IT RESONATE SO WIDELY?
For me, I think it’s about people wanting to feel connected to one another, and to be able to do something. With so many crises happening around the world, and huge overwhelming statistics, it can be hard to remember that our actions make a difference. But change always starts small and gets bigger, and we are actually making real and significant change all the time.
IT’S BEEN DESCRIBED AS A MOVEMENT, NOT JUST A CHARITY – WHAT DOES ‘CHOOSING LOVE’ MEAN IN PRACTICE?
Choosing Love is about leading your actions and your decision making through a lens of love; treating people with kindness and compassion, and working together towards solutions that benefit everyone.
FROM THE SUPPORT OF MUSICIANS, GRASSROOTS GIGS AND EVEN THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL – WHAT ROLE DOES MUSIC AND CULTURE PLAY IN DRIVING REAL IMPACT?
Artists, musicians, actors and cultural figures show us what it means to be human through their work, so culture will always be a core part of any humanitarian movement. We are so grateful to work with incredible people who will use their voice to stand up for fundamental human rights for everyone.