The University is hosting a series of free events during November looking at issues of immigration and refugees as part of Being Human 2018, the UK’s only national festival of the humanities.
Two events will take place at Canterbury Cathedral. The first event, at 18.00 on Thursday 15 November, is an illustrated talk by Professor David Herd from the School of English discussing the work of Refugee Tales, which is campaigning for a change in the UK’s indefinite detention laws.
Then, on Friday 16 November from 18.00, Professor Herd will host a second event called Walking with Refugee Tales. This will be a performance where visitors will be taken to different parts of the Crypt of Canterbury Cathedral and hear stories from the project read by those involved. Those involved include Patience Agbabi (former Canterbury Laureate) and Hubert Moore (writing mentor at the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture).
Both events are free but require booking online. Tickets are limited so early booking is recommended.
A third event, Music and Migration, will take place at the Huguenot Museum in Rochester on 24 November from 11.00 – 12.30. This will bring together Rami Merhi, a Syrian virtuoso of the darbuka drum, and songwriter and musician Anna Neale from the University to explore the way music moves across landscapes and culture as people migrate.
They will perform together to explore different Arabic and Western rhythms, creating a new fusion in musical composition in a relaxed setting. Everyone that attends will be given a djembe to use but if you play an instrument you are encouraged to bring it as well to join in. This event is also free but again spaces are limited and early booking is encouraged.
The events were selected to be part of Being Human by the festival organisers, the School of Advanced Study, University of London, the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC), and the British Academy (BA). The events aims to engage with the public on issues of migration and the causes and impacts as part of the wider Being Human festival that runs from 15 – 24 November.
Professor Herd said: ‘These events for the Being Human festival aim to go beyond the rhetoric around refugees and immigration issues and show the myriad reasons people find themselves displaced and how current UK government policies exacerbate this situation.’
In 2017 Being Human encompassed a programme of 330 events in 56 towns and cities across the UK, with a total estimated audience of 31,000. The 2018 festival is themed around ‘origins and endings’. The programme promises to be exciting, entertaining and thought-provoking, with ‘something for everyone in our diverse communities’.