## **UK UYGHUR COMMUNITY** **Charity Registration Number: 1189798** **Trustees' Annual Report & Financial Statements for the Period** **1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024** ## **UK UYGHUR COMMUNITY** ## **Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements for the Financial Period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023** ## **Reference & Administration Details** Charity Details: Name(s): UK UYGHUR COMMUNITY Nu mber: 1189798 Address: Room 309 Balfour House, 741 High Road, London, N12 0BP Names of the Charity Trustees who Manage the Charity |**Trustee Name**|**Office**|**Appointed**|**Resigned**| |---|---|---|---| |Shukhrat Issabayev|N/A|N/A|N/A| |Kerim Zair|N/A|N/A|N/A| |Hemragul Uzturk
Yusuf|N/A|N/A|N/A| ## **Names & Addresses of Advisors:** |**Role**|**Name**|**Address**| |---|---|---| |Bank|Zempler|6, London Wall, London EC2Y 5EB| ## **Structure, Governance & Management** **Description of the Charity's Trusts** ## **Type of Governing Document:** Constitution ## **How the Charity is Constituted** : Charitable Incorporated Organisation ## **Trustee Selection Methods:** Any gaps identified in the knowledge and expertise of the existing Trustees is used to identify the preferred characteristics of new Trustees. In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration and management of UK UYGHUR COMMUNITY. All potential trustees must have a formal interview with the existing Trustees to understand their motivation to be appointed and their skills and experience. ## **How New Trustees are Inducted and Trained:** All new Trustees will be provided with a copy of the Governing Document (Constitution) and the most recent Trustees’ Annual Report & Financial Statements (if available). In addition, they will also be provided the ‘Fundamental Principles of the UK UYGHUR COMMUNITY’, which is a document that sets out the 8 values and principles of UK UYGHUR COMMUNITY including: Integrity, Open- mindedness, Respect, Innovation, Loyalty, Excellence, Positivity, and Independence. This ensures that all trustees understand the values that UK UYGHUR COMMUNITY stands for and what is expected of everyone involved with UK UYGHUR COMMUNITY. ## **Objects** The Charity will aim to save Uyghur identity, culture, heritage, customs & traditions, language and history. Will introduce Uyghur culture, history and social values to the world and bring forward all the difficulties they are facing due to violations of their human rights in East Turkistan. Will organize community events, seasonal Uyghur language school and publication of educational magazine. ## **Statutory Declaration on Public Benefit** The trustees declare that they have complied with their duty to have due regard to the guidance on public benefit published by the Charity Commission in exercising their powers or duties. ## **Activities, Achievements & Performance** The Pandemic has given a chance to our Charity to re-assess its values, objectives, and aspirations. Since March 2023 UK Community has been working with a full board of members on reaching the goals and running the community smoothly. The following events were set by the charity/ community Every year in March the Uygur community, along with the other Central Asian Nations, celebrates Nowruz- The arrival of spring and new year. Last year we celebrated it on 19/03/2023. We dress up in our traditional clothing, singing songs, and poems. Children perform little sciences from Uyghur films. We explain what the Newroz is about, we invite lots of guests from other communities to treat with our traditional delicious food( such as Polo) as well as desserts. The community is also invited every year to the Main quad of UCL to celebrate and participate with other Central Asian countries. We have been performing on the stage with beautiful Uygur Dances, songs that were presented by our talented young Uyghur man. We are able to present our culture and prove our existence and a nation with a rich and beautiful culture and traditions. Last year we were selling different stuff including souvenirs, books, clothes, toys and it all was in a very traditional Uyghur style, patterned with an Etles the traditional authentic, ethno-fabric. We have been able to present our Food stall to the Uygur restaurant owner who is part of the community. They have been presenting live the preparation of an Uygur dish called Leghmen. It was very fascinating and captured by many media. This year Newroz celebrations fell onto the Ramadan period. The event was rescheduled for May 2024. The Holy Ramadan month started on 22/03/2023 and this year on 08/03/2024 During the holy fasting months the community gathers together at LULS and we have Iftars there. We teach our children praying, the meaning of Ramadan and more importantly, we have been able to share our food among us and those who are in need most. During this period we organize a fundraising which might be Fitr or Zakat that also helps as a contribution to the Charity to maintain and carry on with the needs. At the end of the fasting period we organize a big event for the whole community with presents for children and to celebrate the festive season as Eid. The same celebrations we organize for the second Eid in the year which comes after 70 after the Ramadan. In April 2023, London Uyghur language school’s students participated in the International gathering of Uyghur children in Berlin, Germany. Six students participated in activities organized by the Uyghur Academy and led by a writer and a teacher from Norway Abduwely Ayup. Children learnt much more about their culture, how to play on traditional instruments and also met other Uyghur students. Making friendship with other Uyghur communities would build a route for our children and be attached to their heritage and culture. They enjoyed each other's company and exchanged lots of experiences. They were able to communicate in their mother tongue freely. Teachers who accompanied students were able also discuss how further they could take improvement and development of the Uyghur language curriculum and what would work best for the children On 05 of May each year we Uygurs celebrate the Doppa Day Uyghur traditional hat worn by men and women. It comes in very colorful, bright patterns and is hand made. The Doppa is an irreplaceable part of the Uyghur identity. We all, including kids, are wearing Doppa on the day and telling stories about it, showing fashionable presentations, dancing and end up eating traditional food. In May 2023 we planned the event on 07/05/2023. In 2024 it was 5th of May Children carried out an activity of making their own doppas. They enjoyed it and the most beautiful one was nominated and the student received a prize . The next year event will involve communities that have similar or same stories of traditional headdress. In July 2023 two members of the board (one teacher from LULS) attended a conference in Ankara Turkey that was organised by the Uyghur Academy. The purpose of the conference was to connect all the Uyghur academics in exile and teachers that work in Uygur schools across the globe. The big projects started on writing a universal curriculum of Uyghur language. The materials were shared by many teachers and academics. The translators were set. LULS has made a contribution to the curriculum by providing their thoughts, experience and knowledge. The next project that would be made for schools would be Uyghur books library At the end of June we close our LULS for the summer holiday and organize a trip to the cinema, forest or other places where the parents and children have interest to go to. This summer 2024, the parent of the Uyghur school and the community members are planning to arrange a Summer camp (strictly in Uyghur language and involve Uyghur families that live outside London) On 10th September 2023 the LULS reopened The very first event since the educational year started was the National Day of East Turkistan that the community celebrates on 12 of November each year. The purpose of the event was to introduce the guest and the young generation the history of the established two governments of East Turkistan 1930s and 1940s. To introduce to our children the generation that fought for us and that we must keep the history of our ancestors. The next event we held was the New year (07/01/2023). The new year and the beginning helps us to build plans for the rest of the years and spread roles across the selected board. Financial review has also taken plan to budget the expenses for the London Uyghur school The following event also happens each year on 5th of February (held in 2022 and 2023 and 2024). It was the Ghulja Massacre 1997. Each year the community commemorates the event and the people( relatives, friends) who died in the massacre by holding a protest outside the Chinese Embassy. There were expenses to print relevant posters, information and cost of travel. On 21 February( happened in 2023 and 2024) the community celebrated the International Language day. To preserve the Uyghur language- mother tongue, we have been working hard to keep our London Uighur language school(LULS) running. To make sure our children lurch their mother tongue and literature. Children read lots of poems, were singing songs in Uyghur language and their work that they done at school were presented It is very important for us to save out language as the ongoing Uyghur genocide destroys all literary work in Uyghur. There have been no books left on the language curriculum in Uyghur language as all has been erased back in East Turkistan. The Utghur teachers in exile have been working hard to create a curriculum on Uyghur language that all Uygur children across the globe could use. Once it's ready the LULS will be registered to the programme too. The LULS is not only open to the UK Uygur Community. We have been trying to encourage other communities to join the school for a smaller fee. We have been unable to run it for free due to resources but are willing to fundraise or find a stable donor to facilitate the language course for others. We have been having expenses for stationary and printing facilities. There are 4 teachers who run the school. They are all volunteers. DBS checkers carried out. Second year in the row The Community celebrated 8th of March 2024 International women’s day. As part of the programme we have been aiming to educate our next generation on what famous, brave and dedicated women there in Uyghur history and at present the Uyghur Nation have. Last year we were invited to the International Women’s day celebrating programme by Barnet Council. We had a stall there where we presented some items that belong to our culture and identity. This year two of the community members have been chosen as an inspirational person and their picture was published on a stand. On 10 of March 2024 in partnership with our organizations the UK Uyghur community at the Yunus Emre Institute organized an Uyghur cultural night. Many aliases and communities joined and enjoyed our smart children performances, delicious food and presence of the Miras Silk Road collective Uyghur band. It was an unforgettable evening that brought to live Uyghur culture, music and colorful Uyghur outfit ## **Statement of the Charity's Policy on Reserves** Currently, the charity operates digitally with the help from volunteers. This means there are minimal costs associated with the running of the charity. All associated software and IT costs are predictable as they are incurred on an annual subscription basis. Therefore, there is no charity policy on reserves. As UK UYGHUR COMMUNITY expands to offer physical projects, an appropriate Reserve Policy will be implemented. ## **Details of Any Funds Materially in Deficit** The Trustees declare that the charity had no funds which were materially in deficit at the date of the statement of assets & liabilities. ## **State of the Charity’s Finances** The main sources of income for the charity is donations by Trustees and the general public. The only source of expenditure was donation to Uyghur Tribunal. There are no Restricted or Designated Funds. ## **Particulars of Any Outstanding Guarantee Given by the Charity** The Trustees declare that the charity has given no guarantee where potential liability is outstanding at the date of the statement of assets & liabilities. ## **Particulars of Any Outstanding Debt** The Trustees declare that the charity has no outstanding debts which are secured by an express charge on any of the assets of the charity at the date of the statement of assets & liabilities. ## **Declaration** The Trustees declare that they have approved the above report and authorised that it be signed on their behalf. ## **Accounts** |**Account**|**Amount**| |---|---| |Donations|£14,795.52| |School Rent|-£3,366.43| |Materials and Stock|-£10,704.31| |Bank Fees|-£2.90| |Net Of Receipts|£721.88|