15-19 September 2021 | HOME Manchester, 2 Tony Wilson Place
The Ripples of Hope Festival
celebrates the power of people
to make human rights a reality for all.
Inspired by people – their stories, their strength and their creativity – Ripples of Hope is a new, unique 5-day festival for all of us to:
THINK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES WE FACE AS COMMUNITIES AND AS HUMANITY;
CELEBRATE THE POWER OF PEOPLE TO MAKE CHANGE; AND
EXPLORE HOW WE CAN - TOGETHER - TAKE ACTION TO MAKE HUMAN RIGHTS A REALITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND ACROSS THE WORLD.
A WEEKEND TO INSPIRE
Curated with the people of Greater Manchester,
a weekend of conversations, workshops and performances.
Friday 17 - Sunday 19 September 2021
SPEAKERS included:
18 September 2021
Equity & Equality
GARY YOUNGE
Journalist & Author
SEE SOME OF THE FESTIVAL'S EXTRAORDINARY CONVERSATIONS
THESE WERE THE LINE UPS FOR...
RIPPLES OF HOPE: IN CONVERSATION WITH
HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
The Ripples of Hope Festival is proud to present Hillary Rodham Clinton in conversation with Baroness Helena Kennedy QC.
In this candid, far-reaching conversation, Secretary Clinton (joining by Zoom) and Baroness Kennedy (on stage at HOME) explored the human rights progress we’ve made; the next challenges we must overcome; as well as what Secretary Clinton has learned in her extraordinary life about the power of people to create change; the nature of leadership; and the meaning of hope.
PEN HG WELLS LECTURE feat
ELIF SHAFAK
The Ripples of Hope Festival was delighted to host the 2021 PEN HG Wells Lecture in partnership with English PEN, which will was delivered by celebrated novelist and activist Elif Shafak. Elif will be introduced by the Executive Director of English PEN Daniel Gorman and in conversation with the Artistic Director of The Ripples of Hope Festival Jude Kelly.
The PEN HG Wells Lecture showcases visionary writing and new thinking, and is held in honour of the former PEN president, author, visionary and human rights campaigner HG Wells. Wells foresaw the creation of the worldwide web, most notably in a series of talks and essays entitled World Brain. Other revolutionary ideas set out in The Rights of Man influenced the development of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
FEATURE EVENTS
A POETIC
DECLARATION
PARTICIPATING POETS include: Raymond Antrobus; Mona Arshi; Jay Bernard; Caroline Bird; PA Bitez from Young Identity; Malika Booker; Sean Borodale; Kimberly Campanello; Kwame Dawes; Imtiaz Dharker; Maura Dooley; Tishani Doshi; Mike Garry; Vona Groake; Isaiah Hull; Zaffar Kunial; Glyn Maxwell; Nine McCartney from Young Identity; Togara Muzanenhamo; Shivanee Ramlochan; Victoria Redel; Sjón; Joelle Taylor; Keisha Thompson; Jennifer Wong; Karen McCarthy Woolf; and Luke Wright.
You can now explore an e-book of their work and watch the recording of the three performAnces of their unveiling, with incredible special guest appearances by Linton Kwesi Johnson; Jackie Kay; Carol Ann Duffy and Lemn Sissay.
Percy Bysshe Shelley declared that “Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world”. The Ripples of Hope Festival is delighted to have commissioned and unveil a powerful new body of work: The Poetic Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Simon Armitage has convened poets from around the world to create a unique poetic response to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
RIPPLES OF HOPE SCHOOLS DAY
This Is Us
Thursday 16th September 2021
"Every time a person stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, they send forth a tiny ripple of hope.
And crossing each other from a million different centres of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."
ROBERT F. KENNEDY, CAPE TOWN, 1966
SOUL JOURNEY TO TRUTH
We are so proud to have had this extraordinary exhibition, curated by Lady Unchained, be a part of The Ripples of Hope Festival.
It shone a light on creative talent within prisons, secure settings and people on probation in the North West.
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JUDE KELLY ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
As well as being the Artistic Director of The Ripples of Hope Festival, Jude Kelly CBE is Founder and Director of The WOW Foundation. She founded WOW to celebrate the achievements of women and girls and confront global gender injustice.
Jude was Artistic Director at the Southbank Centre and has directed over 100 theatre and opera productions, is the recipient of two Olivier awards, a BASCA Gold Badge Award for contribution to music, a Southbank Award for opera, She has founded a range of arts institutions and has commissioned and supported the work of thousands artists across all genres.
In 1997, she was awarded an OBE for her services to theatre and in 2015 she was made a CBE for services to the Arts.
PARTICIPATION, EQUALITY & CULTURE PARTNER
OFFICIAL SUPPORTING PARTNERS
MEDIA PARTNERS
CO-PRODUCTION PARTNERS
PUBLIC SECTOR PARTNERS
The Ripples of Hope Festival is being created by Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights UK. We exist to inspire and empower people to make decisions and take actions every day that will help make human rights reality for all - to become ripples of hope in their communities and across the world.
In 1968, Robert F. Kennedy announced his candidacy for the Presidency of the United States. His campaign called on us to envision and work for a world in which the dignity of every human being is honoured and respected; in which we value one another and realise our own power to shape the future.
We are at a critical moment in British and global history. We need to nurture a culture that is built on our shared humanity.
The universal concept of human rights that Robert F. Kennedy championed is essential to that effort.
Human rights – the best articulation and codification humanity has ever found for the fundamental interests of people – set out what society should deliver for people and can be a guide to be used and acted on in everyday decision-making, until they are made a reality for all.
And yet, we know that for many in the UK, human rights feel remote – they are for others but not for me. Demonstrating the relevance and importance of human rights is the challenge in front of us.
And so we deliver artistic, educational and cultural programmes that tell a relevant, local story of human rights and celebrate the countless organisations that do the incredible work of making human rights a reality to inspire and build long-term cultural change.
AFFILIATION: We are proud and honoured to be affiliated to, and be building on the work of, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights in the US, which is led by Kerry Kennedy and was founded after Robert F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign in 1968 by his family and friends as a means to dedicate themselves to a common goal: achieving Bobby’s dream of a more just and peaceful world.
THE ORGANISATION: Founded in June 2018, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights UK is incorporated in the UK as a limited company (11397556) and registered with the Charity Commission of England & Wales (1181744).
ABOUT
ROBERT F. KENNEDY HUMAN RIGHTS UK
OUR PATRONS
Rt Hon Ruth Davidson MSP
Baroness Helena Kennedy
Lord Rumi Verjee
OUR BOARD
Dr Mark Ellis
Kerry Kennedy
Eric Levine
Paul Lindley OBE (Chair)
Patricia McCall
Hina Patel
Stella Smith
Peter Thompson
Nizam Uddin OBE
Andrew Wincel