Festival brings the globe together online

The week-long One World Festival is running from October 12-18, including a number of world UN days, highlighting issues such as climate change, modern slavery, gender equality, hunger and poverty.

Organised by the Coalition of Aid and Development Agencies (CADA NI) – made up of 19 overseas humanitarian charities in Northern Ireland – the festival explores global issues to inspire action locally towards a just, peaceful and sustainable world.

This year’s keynote address, in partnership with Ulster University, is on Climate Injustice: Transforming many small actions into a collective response, featuring Dr Tara Shine, an expert in the field of climate change and climate justice, addressing the difficult truths about our impact on the plant and on each other. Festival events address race-relations in Northern Ireland in the wake of Black Lives Matter, the effect of Covid-19 on human rights, and the refugee crisis.

These include a local short documentary, Where is Belfast? following three people of colour living in NI, and an event discussing Do Black Lives Matter in Belfast? sharing the experience of young Africans who now call Belfast home. Highlights include Women Changemakers in conversation with Monica McWilliams; Taste the World, offering stories and recipes to a soundtrack of great music; Storytelling events for young and old with Still I Rise, Liz Weir and more; a special morning art workshop with artist Aly Harte; a Global Yoga Practice with Yoga Quarter and Can’t Cook - Will Cook! an online cookery demonstration with Lisburn Foodbank.

Peter Anderson, Chairman of CADA NI, said: “This year, One World Festival aims to bring people together at a time we are physically apart, to engage with our diverse communities here in Northern Ireland, but also with people around the world.”

A full list of the One World Festival programme is available at oneworldfestivalni.com.