Seen & Heard: Young People's Voices & Freedom of Expression

On World Book Day (23 April), Amnesty International Poland held a workshop at Primary School No. 355 focused on freedom of expression and the right to protest. We used this opportunity to present the book developed within the framework of the Seen and Heard: Young People’s Voices and Freedom of Expression.

Together with the students, we explored issues that matter to them and talked about how they can use their voice – not only to share opinions, but to stand up for things they care about and create change.

Working in groups, young people reflected on real challenges they see in their school and beyond, and turned their ideas into concrete actions – from speaking up collectively to supporting one another and engaging in their communities.

At the end of the workshop, all participants received a copy of our book “Hear Our Voices” a communal poem created from the words, ideas and dreams of children from across the world.

On 23 April, at Primary School no. 1 in Wrocław, we held a closing session of the project. As part of the event, the participants created zines—independent, self-published magazines traditionally made by fans of music or literature and shared within their communities. Zines are also often used as expressions of resistance and social commentary, giving voice to marginalized perspectives. The participants used this form to reflect on their experiences in the project, including their engagement with the children’s book Hear Our Voices, which explores children’s and human rights. The workshop was led by Melanie Ramdarshan Bold and Mar Sánchez Fernández, children’s literature scholars from Glasgow, Scotland.
Working together on the zines marked a meaningful conclusion to the students’ participation in the project, highlighting how they developed confidence, critical awareness, and creative ways of expressing their views on issues that matter to them.