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International flavour for Holyrood's Festival of Politics
18 August, 2006
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 Dr Tommie Stewart |
There will be a distinct international flavour to the Scottish Parliament next week, when poets, musicians and performers from around the globe take to the stage in Edinburgh during this year's Festival of Politics (23-26 August).
From America there will be powerful performances from celebrated Hollywood actress Tommie Stewart as she looks at the legacy of slavery and the civil rights movement, and from award-winning political songwriters, Pat Humphries and Sandy O as Emma's Revolution.
More revolutionary spirit will emerge in the form of teenage singer Sofiya Fedyna when the student and Member of the European Youth Parliament performs political songs about the peaceful Orange Revolution that took place in her native Ukraine.
Dance will be celebrated internationally too, with Scotland's first Asian language musical group Sangeet Mala and on Saturday 26 August, the whole family can celebrate Malawian culture through music, dance and games.
Closer to home, the Scottish experience will come under the spotlight in the folk and country songs of multiple winner of the 2005 Folk on 2 Awards, Karine Polwart and through a thought-provoking lecture from Professor David McCrone on Scottish national identity after devolution.
 Sangeet Mala at the Parliament |
Mirroring this multi-cultural mix, the Festival will be launched by the opening of the World Press Photo Exhibition - with over 200 winning photographs from the world's leading photojournalists.
Presiding Officer George Reid MSP, said:
"We're building on the success of last year's award-wining Festival of Politics by almost doubling the number of events and including an extra dedicated family day.
"This year our programme has a strong international flavour. From the Ukraine we have songs of the Orange Revolution, from the United States the legacy of slavery and the civil rights movement and from India music and dance."
This is the second year running for the Scottish Parliament's Festival of Politics, which runs from 23-26 August and brings together the worlds of politics, media and the arts through performance, discussion and debate.
Last year's critically acclaimed inaugural event proved so popular the Festival has been extended from three to four days and has more than twice the number of events.
Other famous faces taking part include: newsreader George Alagiah, political satirist Armando Iannucci and parliamentarians Tam Dalyell and Sir Menzies Campbell.
Background information
Hollywood actress and Director of Theatre at Alabama State University, Dr Tommie Stewart will appear for the first time in the UK in Remembering Slavery : a powerful performance piece exploring the legacy of slavery and the development of the civil rights movement - made all the more poignant with the recent deaths of Rosa Parks and Corretta King. Fri 25 Aug, 6-7pm
Award-winning, US activist songwriters Emma's Revolution (Pat Humphries and Sandy O) who take their name from the American radical, Emma Goldman. Winners of the John Lennon Songwriting Grand Prize and described as 'true spirit-child of Woody Guthrie" their songs deal with peace, justice, human rights, the environment and equality and are sung around the world. Fri 25 Aug, 2-3pm
Sofiya Fedyna , Member of the European Youth Parliament and post-graduate international relations student, will perform political songs and speak about the Orange Revolution in her native Ukraine in 2004. Thu 24 Aug, 4-5pm
Sangeet Mala is Scotland 's first Asian language musical group and their Badalte Mausam features music, dance and poetry from various regions of the Indian subcontinent. Thu 24 Aug, 6-7pm
Three times winner at the 2005 BBC Folk on 2 awards, Karine Polwart is known for her work championing human rights and combating violence against women. She has notched up live sessions on BBC Radio 2, 3, 5 and 6 including performances on Andy Kershaw, Janice Long and Tom Robinson.
Sat 26 Aug, 6-7pm
In Devolution and Scottish Identity , Professor David McCrone of Edinburgh University Institute of Governance examines how people in Scotland identify themselves after devolution. Fri 25 Aug, 4-5pm
Celebrate Malawi - Parliament's Cross Party Group on Malawi hosts a fun-filled event for all the family to celebrate Malawian culture through music, dance and games. Sat 26 Aug, 3-4pm
Holyrood's Festival of Politics was introduced last year to Edinburgh 's festival season and received an Editors' Top Ten Award from Threeweeks - the Edinburgh festivals' premier review publication.
Full programme details for the Festival of Politics are available at most major Edinburgh Festival Venues, from the Scottish Parliament or from our website (www.festivalofpolitics.org.uk). The Festival takes places 23-26 August.
While most events are free, a small number of events will charge £5.00 (£3.00 concession) with those wishing to attend advised to book in advance.
Tickets can be obtained :
- Online from: www.festivalofpolitics.org.uk. Online booking is available 24 hours up to 4pm on the day before the event.
- By telephone: 0131 473 2000 (calls via RNID Typetalk: 018001 0131 473 2000). Fax: 0131 473 2003.
- By post: to the Festival of Politics, Hub Tickets, The Hub, Castlehill, Edinburgh, EH1 2NE.
- In person at the Scottish Parliament or at the Hub.
Visitors to the Festival will be able to use the free crèche. The crèche opened in 2004 for members of the public visiting Parliament and provides up to four hours free child care for 0-5 year olds. For information call: 0131 348 6192.
To ensure Festival of Politics events are as accessible as possible, please specify requirements when booking tickets. While British Sign Language (BSL) interpretation is provided automatically at some events, it can be requested for any of the others. Assistance dogs are welcome and all venues are accessible for wheelchair users.
For further information contact: [email protected]
Telephone: 0131 348 6852.
For public information/general enquiries:
Telephone 0131 348 500 or 0845 278 1999 (local call rate)
E-mail: [email protected]
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The Festival of Politics is an initiative of the Scottish Parliament.
The Festival of Politics 2006 Partners are:
Standard Life; BAA Scotland; and ScottishPower.
