Last chance to nominate heroes who stand up to hate crime

Nominations of people or groups who have stood up to hate are about to close for the National No2H8 Crime Awards 2022, with judges accepting names until Friday 9 September.

Sponsored by Jewish News, the Mirror, the Community Security Trust (CST), Tell MAMA, and GALOP, the awards celebrate those who push back against abuse directed at someone’s identity, race, gender, religion, disability, or sexuality.

“These heroes and heroines stand up for the dignity of others,” said No2H8 Awards chair Fiyaz Mughal, who founded an anti-Islamophobia charity. “The awards recognise and celebrate their courageous actions and their social values.”

There are awards for Upstanders – those to stand up to hate – in the fields of sport, media, parliament, social research, community, the Crown Prosecution Service, local authority, law enforcement, and business. There is also a Young Upstander Award.

The Covid-19 pandemic has stopped the awards since 2019, when Chelsea Football Club won the business award for their ‘Say No to Antisemitism’ campaign.

Past Jewish winners include the former Labour MP Luciana Berger as well as Senior Masorti Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, who was jointly honoured alongside Imam Mamadou Bocoum for interfaith work.

“The No2H8 Awards are the annual event to celebrate the men and women in our communities who stand up for the man, woman or child who are abused because of their identities, whether that be race, religion or people with disabilities,” said Mughal.

“More than ever, we need to challenge the world of street based and online hate, so that our society continues to be one based on kindness, merit and care, rather than intolerance, prejudice and hatred. We have also seen how quick such hate can spread if left unchecked.”

The Awards ceremony will be held at a plush central London venue in November.