Voices of Hope & Compassion 2024
Voices of Hope & Compassion - led by Michael Rosen - 4pm on Sunday 30th June - an uplifting and moving event organized by HistoryWorks - on behalf of Cambridge City Council and partnering with Cambridge Schools.
The Concert: Michael Rosen will perform poetry especially commissioned for the event. School children will perform dances and dramas and musical pieces inspired by Michael Rosen's words plus their own poetry and music composed in empathy with the Refugee experience. The concert aims to be both inspirational and uplifting.
Date: Sunday 30th June 2024
Time: 3.45 pm for a 4.00 pm start
Venue: Cambridge Corn Exchange
Location: Wheeler Street, Cambridge, CB2 3PQ
Tickets: This is a free and unticketed event, just show up when doors open from 3.30pm so that you are seated in time for the 4.00pm start.
Ages: Suggestion that suitable for age 9 years upwards because Wars and Genocides will be addressed in the words and performances. The theme for the event is “Voices of Hope and Compassion”.
Refugee Fundraising: This year we are collecting donations for two Cambridge charities that support Refugees and Asylum seekers. Both charities will speak at the event to explain how they help Refugees. First, CamCRAG which is Cambridge Convoy Refugee Action Group and you can donate money on the 30th & directly via their donation page: using text, facebook, or https://camcrag.org.uk/donating/
Second, the Refugee Hardship Fund which is administered by Cambridge Ethnic Community Forum Refugee services, supporting refugees, and destitute asylum seekers. If you would like to make a donation please go to the fundraising information page: https://cecf.co.uk/donate/
Further Information: This free civic event is a concert of poetry and music and performances led by Michael Rosen called “Voices of Hope and Compassion”. This important civic event is free and un-ticketed. It will address the themes for marking Refugee Week with this year's theme which is OUR HOME. This past year we’ve brought schools together and reached over 5,000 young people working with the poet, Michael Rosen, alongside the historian, Helen Weinstein, with school workshops and special school assemblies.
The compositions reflect on what happens when individuals, families and communities are driven out of their homes, because of war or climate catastrophe, persecution or threat of genocide.
We will also consider the continuing difficulties survivors and refugees face as they try and build new homes and recover from the trauma of their experiences, and how we may bring words of comfort as acts of kindness in words to show our humanity and love for others.
We suggest that children under 9 years of age only attend at the discretion of adults in their family to follow-up and guide their children to discuss issues they will hear and learn about during this civic event.
Bessie the Bike: We will be supported at this event by Cambridgeshire Library Services whose "Bessie the Bike" has been visiting schools alongside the workshops and assemblies organized by HistoryWorks. The book bike will be on show at the foyer of the Corn Exchange for the event, showcasing a range of books by Michael Rosen and about the Refugee and Migrant experience. Audience members from children to grandparents are invited to freely sign up for a library card at the Corn Exchange on 30th June if they don't have one already in order to be able to borrow books from the library services. All books and CDs can be borrowed for free too!
Refugee Books to Borrow: Bessie the Bike has many books available to borrow about Refugees, including:
Wisp : a story of hope | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Lily and the polar bears | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Refuge / Anne Booth & Sam Usher. | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Refugee boy | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
The boy at the back of the class | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
The bone sparrow | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Boy 87 | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Boundless sky | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Lubna and Pebble | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
For older readers in KS2 and KS3:
Alpha : Abidjan to Gare du Nord | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
When stars are scattered | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
Illegal | Cambridgeshire Libraries (spydus.co.uk)
