WATCH The Lotus Flower; The Beauty, Hope and Humanity of the Calais Jungle

Recent days have brought devastating news. The authorities in Calais have announced their plans to clear almost half of the unofficial refugee camp in Calais, the Jungle. The action will mean the displacement of almost 2000 people, who have already suffered in the most awful of ways.
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Recent days have brought devastating news. The authorities in Calais have announced their plans to clear almost half of the unofficial refugee camp in Calais, the Jungle.

The action will mean the displacement of almost 2000 people, who have already suffered in the most awful of ways. People who have been forced to flee their homes, their countries, their people because it is not safe. People who have made treacherous journeys and faced unimaginable horrors only to find themselves in what can only be described as a slum, yet who have poured their everything into making the best out of such a place.

The refugees of the Jungle, along with the insanely hardworking volunteers, have spent months building a beautiful community of hope and humanity out of the mud.

And all of this is set to be destroyed.

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The Women and Children's centre, which cares for over 200 of the most vulnerable people. The newly built Youth centre which provides vital care for hundreds of young boys who are unaccompanied, alone and vulnerable. Three mosques, one church, three schools, the infamous Jungle Books library, the Good Chance Theatre, the Legal Centre, the Vaccination Centre, the Ashram Kitchen and other distribution points which serve over 2000 hot meals a day. Not to mention a huge number of shelters, which are more than just shelters, they have become people's homes. The one thing that is theirs in a life where everything else has been lost.

We cannot stand back and let this happen.

We have created this film, The Lotus Flower, which shows the beauty, hope and humanity of the Calais Jungle - everything that is set to be lost if the destruction goes ahead.

Please watch, please share, and spread the word as far as you possibly can.

You can also show your solidarity by signing this petition to encourage the authorities to rethink their decision and refrain from bulldozing the camp (as the petition is in French, you need to select Royaume-Uni for the United Kingdom).

Right at this moment there is nothing more important than standing up for humanity.

Do your best.

To keep up with developments in the Jungle, and our other work at The Worldwide Tribe, you can find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.