The University of Nottingham’s Trent Building will be lit up in red floodlights on the evening of Friday 18 October, to mark Wear Red Day and in support of National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2019.

The University Boulevard side of the historic building will be illuminated from 6pm, Friday 18 October until approximately 4am, Saturday 19 October – with the light visible to travellers on University Boulevard and passengers on the tram line.

Professor Sarah Sharples, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Nottingham, said: “Events at the Euro 2020 qualifiers in Bulgaria demonstrate the importance of acting to tackle the scourge of racism not just in football, but wider society. We are proud to get involved in these important campaigns. Equality, diversity and inclusion is a crucial and central pillar in all we do at the University of Nottingham and we are very pleased to be able to highlight our support for Wear Red Day and National Hate Crime Awareness Week.”

Wear Red Day 2019

The display coincides with Wear Red Day – an anti-racism campaign that takes place on Friday 18 October in England and is organised by education charity Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC).

SRtRC delivers anti-racism workshops to more than 50,000 young people every year in schools throughout England, Scotland and Wales, as well as providing training to teachers. The charity’s educational work is crucial in challenging racist attitudes in society and breaking down barriers within communities. It aims to combat racism through enabling role models, who are predominately but not exclusively footballers, to present an anti-racist message.

Want to get involved in Wear Red Day? You can attend an event, tweet using the hashtag #WRD19 or show your support by donning a red outfit on Friday 18 October.

National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2019

National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2019 takes place from Saturday 12 to Saturday 19 October. Staff are invited to hear from national and regional officers of UNISON involved with combating hate crime and supporting those affected at events on University Park and Jubilee campuses.

• 2-3pm, Wednesday 16 October, A03 Teaching and Learning Building, University Park. Find out more.
• 2-3pm, Wednesday 30 October, LT3 Exchange Building, Jubilee Campus. Find out more.

What is the University doing?

The University of Nottingham has introduced decisive measures to promote and support diversity across our staff and student community including: recruitment diversity guidelines and trialling use of anonymised applications; training to address unconscious bias in the classroom; inclusive teaching practices; reverse-mentoring schemes; and work to decolonise the curriculum. We are investigating assessment practices to ensure there is no unconscious bias on students and piloting initiatives to reduce the attainment gap in STEM subjects.

Professor Sarah Sharples, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Equality Diversity & Inclusion holds UEB-level responsibility to support staff and students of all protected characteristics and recently published a new EDI Strategic Delivery Plan to ensure diversity is at the heart of all our activity and operations. More broadly, the University has upgraded its systems and support to report and investigate harassment, developed specific campaigns to stress the inclusive values of the University of Nottingham as a community, and increased numbers of specialist Dignity Advisers to advise and support staff.

The University is determined to work with our partners across the higher education sector and has pledged support for the UUK/NUS ‘closing the gap’ action plan on tackling attainment gaps. We are also challenging ourselves as an institution to continue our progress over the long-term by applying for Race Equality Charter (Bronze) status by 2020/21 that commits universities to improving the representation, progression and success of BME staff and students.