The Project
With funding from South Swindon Parish Council, Twenty Welcomes was created. This innovative poetry project, celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Refugee Week, and captured on film, brought together twenty young people, a film-maker, a poet, City of Sanctuary staff, people new to Swindon and people who’ve lived in Swindon for years.
The Young People
Over three days, the creative youngsters from five primary and secondary schools in and around Swindon – who between them speak more than ten different languages – explored, expressed and performed their thoughts and ideas about the true meaning of ‘welcome’; all captured and crafted into a short documentary by film-maker, Florence Pellacani.
With poet, Hilda Sheehan, they shaped their words into a poem showing Swindon’s culture of welcome and embracing aspects of our town’s rich history and global diversity. The finished poem extends “a welcome to everyone as equal valued members of the …community.” (Adapted from City of Sanctuary Schools’ Resource Pack)
What’s happened since?
Since September, these twenty innovative young people have been working in their own schools using their documentary to inspire their peers and teachers to spread the message of welcome. Now they are ready to share their film with you – at Swindon Arts Centre, Devizes Road, SN1 4BJ on Monday, 28th January 2019, 5:00pm – 7:00pm. For further details, click here.