Zita Holbourne awarded Honorary Fellowship in recognition of services to human rights, equality, freedom and social justice

Zita Holbourne has today (11 July) been awarded an Honorary Fellowship during UWTSD’s summer graduation ceremonies at the Swansea Arena.

Zita is an award winning, trade union, community and human rights campaigner and activist, sell-out author, visual artist, curator, poet, writer and vocalist. She studied art and graphic design at the London College of Printing and Watford School of Art. Zita has over 30 years of experience working in the arts including as a graphic designer, illustrator and make-up artist and exhibits at a range of cultural, community and political events.

Outside of her creative pursuits Zita has worked in employment law and rights, industrial relations and has been a senior trade activist for 25 years and counting. Zita has curated political and cultural art exhibitions to challenge racism, wider discrimination, injustice and to promote equality, justice, rights and freedom.

At today’s ceremony, she was honoured in recognition of services to human rights, equality, freedom and social justice. Presenting Zita Holbourne to the congregation was Professor Ian Walsh, UWTSD Swansea Provost. He said:

“Today, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David is delighted to add further recognition of Zita’s personal contribution to campaigns for Equality, Freedom, Justice and Human Rights through art, poetry, music, written and spoken word and activism with the award of an Honorary Fellowship.

“Zita Holbourne is an award winning, trade unionist, community and human rights campaigner and activist, an author, visual artist, curator, poet, vocalist and writer, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and member of the Royal Historical Society.

“Zita’s work and commitment to human rights, art, culture and equality is truly international. She works across Europe and beyond to campaign for migrant and refugee rights and against racism and other forms of discrimination.

“She is particularly concerned to highlight the links between climate change, migration, refugees, and racism, and spoke at COP21 in Paris and the Bandung Climate Conference in Nairobi in 2022.

“Zita is also committed to providing direct humanitarian aid. For several years she has coordinated regular (bi-monthly) humanitarian aid convoys and missions, in solidarity with people who are refugees in France and has raised thousands of pounds through fundraising initiatives to support this work.

“If her campaigning and activism wasn’t enough, Zita has built an international career as a visual and vocal artist and as an author and with such a prolific creative output and commitment to service it’s not surprising that Zita has been recognised with numerous awards.”

On receiving the award, Zita Holbourne, added:

“It’s wonderful to be here and it’s such an honour to receive this award from this University. I’m really proud of my Welsh heritage and roots so it’s very special to receive it here to be here and to be here in Wales.

“It’s a privilege to be here with all of the people graduating today and I wish you the very best on your journeys.

“What I will say to you is if your path takes a different direction, if you must take a break, if you must go slower than you planned, don’t be hard on yourself. Be kind to yourself and trust your instincts, trust your gut, follow your dreams, follow your aspirations, and don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it.

“Life isn’t ways easy. Sometimes we stumble and sometimes we fall but that doesn’t matter. It’s all part of life and it’s all part of learning. All we need to be able to do is to dust ourselves down, stand up, stand tall, stand proud and try again.

“Once again, I thank the university for this award. Together, I hope that our journey going forward, and our future will be a strong one and that I can contribute to the future of the university and enrich the experience of the university with my experience. I don’t want to just accept the award and leave. I want to be part of this family going forward. Thank you so much for having me, thank you so much for listening to me and thank you very much for this award.”

Further Information

Arwel Lloyd

Principal PR and Communications Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email:  arwel.lloyd@uwtsd.ac.uk    
Phone: 07384 467076