Starting again from scratch in a new country after fleeing war and conflict is traumatic and overwhelming for anyone. Refugees and asylum seekers often have to deal with racism, language barriers and bereavement while trying to build their new life.
Its amazing how people can find the strength to carry on and hope for a better future despite losing so much.
“Refugees present perhaps the maximum example of the human capacity to survive despite the greatest of losses and assaults on human dignity.”
‘New paradigms for refugee health problems’ Marjorie A Muecke Social Science and Medicine, Vol 35, No 4, pp 515-523, 1992
We’ve teamed up with health and science organisation Bassajamba and Manchester University’s Division of Psychology and Mental Health to create spaces for ordinary people to learn from refugees with our brand new collaboration: Resilience, Recovery and Happiness.
Alongside a series of interviews with experts conducted by Bassajamba, our amazing team of facilitators are creating new music and learning songs from around the world in 3 drop-in centres with refugees and asylum seekers now living in the North-West.
Crisis Choirs and Stone Flowers will perform together, teaching us about finding strength and happiness, despite unbelievably difficult circumstances. Together we’ll be exploring how music and creativity can not only heal emotional wounds, but also bring people together in solidarity.
Here is a cool song that was brought to us by lovely Hytham from Sudan in one of our first ever drop-in sessions. We’ll be bringing it to life with full band and choir. Have a listen to cheer up your day!
We hope you’ll join us for an original and compelling performance of new material and traditional music.
“When you work together with love
you can achieve anything.”
Amir, Survivor
