A campaign to promote positive messages about immigrants was launched in London today, after raising over £54,000 from Britons “sick and tired” of prejudice.

The first posters of the I Am An Immigrant initiative will appear on London Underground before it goes national on Monday.

Founded by the Movement Against xenophobia (Max), the campaign introduces the public to 15 migrants from diverse age groups, professions, national and ethnic backgrounds.

Max argues that it aims to create a “powerful way of showing that immigrants not only contribute but are part of the fabric of British society.”

The campaign will see 950 posters take over Tube and national rail stations across the country.

Alongside this, 25 outdoor billboards will also be seen from Monday in London, Manchester, Glasgow and other major cities.

According to the organisers, the International Organisation for Migration is now considering taking the campaign global because “migration happens world over, migrants contribute the world over to their host country.”

Nicolette Moonen — Musician
Holland

Nicolette Moonen, who moved to Britain from Holland over 20 years ago, said that she felt compelled to be a face on one of the posters because as a musician moving around was inevitable.
“As musicians we often find ourselves in groups with many many different nationalities and we have a common language — music,” she explained.
“When I saw this campaign, I thought it was a brilliant way to address the whole issue.”
She added that much like the way dogs bark at strangers, humans fear the unknown and the foreign.
“But the dog as soon as he gets to know the stranger stops barking and starts wagging his tail.
“Hopefully, we’ll change people’s perception and people will stop barking and will start wagging their tails.”

S Chelvan — Barrister
Sri Lanka

Working daily with immigrants and asylum-seekers, barrister S Chelvan said he knew from professional as well as personal experience what it means to be a migrant in Britain.
“If anybody says we are letting in too many immigrants and getting into the country is easy, they should come work-shadow me for a day.
“That is an urban myth peddled by politicians to toxify the debate,” said Mr Chelvan, who came to Britain as a child from war-torn Sri Lanka.

Lois Lau - England Touch Rugby Player

Malaysia

In Britain since the age of 13, England touch rugby player Lois Lau told the Star how she was picked on at school for her English.“I remember being bullied in school because my English wasn’t great, it wasn’t my first language obviously. “I was trying to find new friends, find my feet in a new country and I was being picked on because of my English, which is why I probably sound quite British now. “You still get the odd comment when you walk down the street, people just assume you’re an immigrant because I guess I look like an immigrant.”Asked whether she feared a backlash for participating in a public debate about xenophobia, Ms Lau replied: “That’s not going to stop me because if you are going to live in a society with that fear what’s the point?”