On 29 February we held the planning meeting for our 2024 festival at Bristol Old Vic. It was exciting to see the room buzzing with so many different people, organisations and ideas. We set the tone by sharing cultural ideas about how to celebrate the return of spring.
And – as we always like to be a bit different and work with what particularly resonates with Bristol communities – we collectively settled on ‘Home’ as our local theme for 2024, to complement the national Refugee Week theme of ‘Our Home’.
One of our festival stalwarts, Tenzin Sangmo, has shared with us her memories of festivals past and why she’s looking forward to celebrating on the theme of ‘home’ this year.
“Bristol Refugee Festival (BRF) has always been an exciting moment for me and my Tibetan community in Bristol.
As a small thriving community in the midst of Bristol, a huge multicultural city, we have been given the opportunity to be seen and heard, and have never been left out.
Unlike other organisations who catch their eye on the big, loud and popular ones, BRF focuses on social inclusion and the deprived, giving opportunities for communities to showcase their stories, distinct cultures and human rights issues and concerns.
It has been a privilege and honour to be part of BRF every year observing our ‘Tibet Day’, looking towards the preservation of our unique culture and sharing the stories of Tibetan refugees around the world.
This year the theme ‘Home‘ sounds to me so warm and emotional too. Not everyone has a home although they have a place to live. For an individual ‘Home’ is a place where they can be anything, be loved and feel free.
Especially for those who fled from persecution, for a refugee, from shock and torture, we all have a role to play. To create a connecting support service, understanding their culture and background, freeing them from fear and danger in this place.
Making them feel at home is the prime goal of all of us and of those services who are there to support them. The BRF team always works towards achieving those goals and I commend their multiculturalism and inclusive approach.
I really love this theme, very apt to celebrate and to work on. Bristol, City of Sanctuary, a Home!”
Tenzin Sangmo
This year’s festival takes place 8 to 23 June 2024. Subscribe to our newsletter and stay tuned to our channels to be the first to get eyes on the full events programme.
