Have Your Say is a multi-media project culminating in three video-poems being presented at the festival, created from submissions by the public via social media and workshops on Zoom.

Led by Olympias Music Foundation, the workshops have connected members of Manchester City of Sanctuary and our very own Roots Group with artists working in spoken word, music and visual arts to produce collaborative creative interactions, and fun social get-togethers during lockdown.

The responses we have been collecting respond to each of the festival’s three weekly themes: The World We Live In; How We See the World; and Hope and Celebration!

Click the video and go full screen to watch Have Your Say (The World We Live In) now.

With thanks for creative contributions from the wonderful people at Manchester City of Sanctuary, Olympias Music Foundation Children's Voices Choir, and Journeys Festival International’s Roots Groups and our artists and poets Toreh O'Garro, Xia Leon Sloane and Eleanor Austin.

Please click here to share your thoughts about Have Your Say and the chance to win £100 High Street Voucher plus a £50 donation to a charity of your choice.

What the World looks like

2011,
9 years,
I’ve been a long long time. Many years now
without pen and paper.
Can everybody hear me?
There are some lyrics, some words that always make me feel really happy.
The song that I got married to, I like English songs because no one understands.
I’m sorry, because in my language Tigrinya and Amharic are my first language,
the second language is English, I no more understand, no,
but that song gave me the strength to move on, to strive, to fight for
good thing with a song, it reminds of good days.

Who’s my friend? Cameroon.
When I was little, there was no toys. So what I enjoyed doing was playing with sand, mud.
When I play with sand, I just pretend like I’m cooking with something,
just the sand, the water, then an empty can to make a shaker,
but my Dad was studying Agriculture. He loved to plant, and do something with the farm or
gardening.
Pink Flowers, I think in front of the house.
It was a long time, but I can remember something.

Grab something nearby in your house that makes a noise
and come and sit down.
It doesn't make a sharp sound but
which country do you come from?
If you speak right now, some people hear it like 5 seconds later,
it might hurt people’s ears.
But we’re making a small farm – do you want to see it?
It’s linked to the world we live in
when you open the main door to go outside from the big door