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| Refugee festival comes to Bristol to challenge perceptions | Refugee festival comes to Bristol to challenge perceptions |
| (4 months later) | |
| The festival includes a variety of artistic performances, including comedy, dance and drama. | The festival includes a variety of artistic performances, including comedy, dance and drama. |
| The festival includes a variety of artistic performances, including comedy, dance and drama. | The festival includes a variety of artistic performances, including comedy, dance and drama. |
| Art by refugees, migrants and displaced people is going on show at a festival in South-West England. | Art by refugees, migrants and displaced people is going on show at a festival in South-West England. |
| The Platforma festival will include visual art, drama, music and comedy and aims to challenge the perception of refugees. | The Platforma festival will include visual art, drama, music and comedy and aims to challenge the perception of refugees. |
| It was created by Almir Koldzic who moved to the UK from Yugoslavia in 1995 to escape the Yugoslav wars. | It was created by Almir Koldzic who moved to the UK from Yugoslavia in 1995 to escape the Yugoslav wars. |
| He said: "Refugees are either seen as victims without any agency or they are seen as a threat. | He said: "Refugees are either seen as victims without any agency or they are seen as a threat. |
| "Or they are seen as someone who wants to abuse our generosity and our systems. | "Or they are seen as someone who wants to abuse our generosity and our systems. |
| "Art and culture can tell more nuanced stories. It can help us to better understand their circumstances, their histories, their contributions, their skills." | "Art and culture can tell more nuanced stories. It can help us to better understand their circumstances, their histories, their contributions, their skills." |
| Platforma festival returns every two years in a different part of England, and following its success in Yorkshire 2021, it will be hosted across the south-west from 1 October until 5 November. | Platforma festival returns every two years in a different part of England, and following its success in Yorkshire 2021, it will be hosted across the south-west from 1 October until 5 November. |
| The festival aims to show the healing and consolidatory abilities of art and cultural expression. | The festival aims to show the healing and consolidatory abilities of art and cultural expression. |
| Now in its seventh year, the festival is managed by Counterpoints Arts, a London-based organisation that seeks to promote the artistic contributions of migrants and refugees in British society. | Now in its seventh year, the festival is managed by Counterpoints Arts, a London-based organisation that seeks to promote the artistic contributions of migrants and refugees in British society. |
| Mr Koldzic founded Counterpoints in 2012. | Mr Koldzic founded Counterpoints in 2012. |
| He added: "Arts and culture is also a fantastic way of opening spaces, where we don't need to tell people what to think of refugees. | He added: "Arts and culture is also a fantastic way of opening spaces, where we don't need to tell people what to think of refugees. |
| "The idea is to open up spaces and tell stories that invite people to make up their own minds." | "The idea is to open up spaces and tell stories that invite people to make up their own minds." |
| Tasnim Siddiqa Amin is a producer for this year's festival. | Tasnim Siddiqa Amin is a producer for this year's festival. |
| She said: "The great thing about Platforma is going to that region and building on the connections we already have. | She said: "The great thing about Platforma is going to that region and building on the connections we already have. |
| "It's not just about going into the South West but also bringing people and organisations in to the South West. | "It's not just about going into the South West but also bringing people and organisations in to the South West. |
| "The unique thing about this festival is that it moves regions, and the way we do partnership work as an organisation, we invest time into that region." | "The unique thing about this festival is that it moves regions, and the way we do partnership work as an organisation, we invest time into that region." |
| Hiba Elhindi is from Sudan and came to the UK in 2014 | Hiba Elhindi is from Sudan and came to the UK in 2014 |
| Hiba Elhindi is from Sudan and came to the UK in 2014 | Hiba Elhindi is from Sudan and came to the UK in 2014 |
| One such Bristol-based contributor is Sudafest: Hope and Healing. | One such Bristol-based contributor is Sudafest: Hope and Healing. |
| Hiba Elhindi is the founder of the collective celebrating the art and culture of Sudan. | Hiba Elhindi is the founder of the collective celebrating the art and culture of Sudan. |
| "I am from Sudan, and I came to the UK in 2014," she said. | "I am from Sudan, and I came to the UK in 2014," she said. |
| "I have lived in Bristol pretty much that whole time. I have been engaging in many activities in the Sudanese community. | "I have lived in Bristol pretty much that whole time. I have been engaging in many activities in the Sudanese community. |
| "I would say around 90% of the Sudanese population in Bristol are refugees." | "I would say around 90% of the Sudanese population in Bristol are refugees." |
| Ms Elhindi believes that artistic expression can transcend linguistic and cultural barriers to convey information. | Ms Elhindi believes that artistic expression can transcend linguistic and cultural barriers to convey information. |
| She said: "We have been working really hard in using art and culture as a platform for Sudanese current issues. | She said: "We have been working really hard in using art and culture as a platform for Sudanese current issues. |
| "I don't think there is enough media coverage of the war in Sudan in the UK, and people may not be aware of the issue. | "I don't think there is enough media coverage of the war in Sudan in the UK, and people may not be aware of the issue. |
| "We have been using Sudafest as a platform to raise awareness about what is happening there." | "We have been using Sudafest as a platform to raise awareness about what is happening there." |
| Another installment in this year's festival is an exhibition by Devon-based photographer Frankie Mills. | Another installment in this year's festival is an exhibition by Devon-based photographer Frankie Mills. |
| Good Evening We Are From Ukraine follows the lives of about a dozen Ukrainian refugees as they adapt to life in Devon, finding a home in their new communities. | Good Evening We Are From Ukraine follows the lives of about a dozen Ukrainian refugees as they adapt to life in Devon, finding a home in their new communities. |
| Tanya Drobot & Valentyna Romanchook climb a small mound on Dartmoor at sunrise midwinter | Tanya Drobot & Valentyna Romanchook climb a small mound on Dartmoor at sunrise midwinter |
| Tanya Drobot & Valentyna Romanchook climb a small mound on Dartmoor at sunrise midwinter | Tanya Drobot & Valentyna Romanchook climb a small mound on Dartmoor at sunrise midwinter |
| "The reason I've been working on this project, is that it seemed really interesting to see Ukrainian refugees welcomed to a part of the world that isn't that diverse or multicultural," she said. | "The reason I've been working on this project, is that it seemed really interesting to see Ukrainian refugees welcomed to a part of the world that isn't that diverse or multicultural," she said. |
| "But there was a huge surge to help Ukrainian refugees, and I felt that this has really showcased the best of humanity." | "But there was a huge surge to help Ukrainian refugees, and I felt that this has really showcased the best of humanity." |
| Frankie Mills followed Ukrainian refugees in their day-to-day lives | Frankie Mills followed Ukrainian refugees in their day-to-day lives |
| Frankie Mills followed Ukrainian refugees in their day-to-day lives | Frankie Mills followed Ukrainian refugees in their day-to-day lives |
| "It's inspiring that there's a festival that's promoting work made by or for a diaspora in a region where those communities aren't necessarily visible," Ms Mills explained. | "It's inspiring that there's a festival that's promoting work made by or for a diaspora in a region where those communities aren't necessarily visible," Ms Mills explained. |
| "[The refugees] were able to find a sense of trust with me. | "[The refugees] were able to find a sense of trust with me. |
| "I have been following them around to English classes, the supermarket and their daily life. | "I have been following them around to English classes, the supermarket and their daily life. |
| "I have been walking alongside them and taking photos, people have been unbelievably supportive and respective of me taking photos of them. | "I have been walking alongside them and taking photos, people have been unbelievably supportive and respective of me taking photos of them. |
| "I really feel like they have let me in and I have gained a new community because of it." | "I really feel like they have let me in and I have gained a new community because of it." |
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| Related topics | |
| Devon | Devon |
| Bristol | Bristol |
| Bristol | Bristol |