Big Ideas Conference

In September I was asked to speak at an academic conference organised by the Big Ideas Company, centring around the Motherhood, Loss and the First World War project. I spoke about how we have incorporated this project within Journey from Home.

Held at Senate House with community groups and academics it was a chance to hear how others have been undertaking this project and who they have been working with. Most of the groups were from London and it was great hearing how they have been writing letters on such delicate issues. This conference also gave me a chance to explain to a wider audience about our project and how we are exploring the stories and experiences of South Asian servicemen during First World War. We would be encouraging our young people to write letters when the visit the Western Front next month. They will be engaging in a workshop where they will be writing letters and reflecting the various war cemeteries that we have planned for them. The letters would be addressed to their families. Working with Big Ideas Company on this project, we had to adapt the project as many of young people have not experienced loss and are not parents so their connections and letters will be different to the other letters that the various groups had presented at the conference today.

At the conference I showcased some of the art that the young community volunteers had created in the workshop over the summer. One of our community volunteers (aged 5) had painted a trench with windows so that the soldiers could see out and know if they were needed to go out. This was her interpretation of what life was like for the South Asian soldiers. I discussed how we had incorporated art workshops for our creative responses.

The conference allowed me to explain why the it is important that all South Asian soldiers (Hindu, Sikh and Muslims) are recognised in this activity as it is a history that the young people are not aware of. With academics and community groups listening it was a chance for us to connect with others that wanted to be involved and understand how we are bringing community groups together.