More than 200 students from across the country came together at a student conference exploring global injustice.

Newham Sixth Form College (NewVIc) played host to the Shared Planet conference which featured a number of speeches, workshops and debates on poverty, human rights and the environment.

Topics such as race and disability were on the agenda as well as a talk from hip-hop artist Akala about the history of civilisations in pre-colonial Africa.

Akala said: “The conference has been really progressive and it’s nice to see a college being made into a centre for activism.

“Without understanding a fuller history of the world, we cannot understand the activism we are about to take.”

The event was the first to be held at a college after being staged at universities for 17 years and principal Eddie Playfair, was delighted with occasion.

He said: “Hundreds of our students contribute to their community as leaders, organisers and mentors and every year around 700 of them progress to university from one of the country’s most economically disadvantaged areas.

“It’s a particularly appropriate place from which to inspire young people across the UK to take action for global and environmental justice.”