Journeys Live: World Music

On Saturday 13th October, a wonderful festival of art and culture from around the world took over Cathedral Gardens. The area was packed with people of all ages and nationalities, coming together to eat, drink, laugh, and listen together — it felt like a true celebration of rich diversity.

The news bombards us with constant updates of atrocities occurring around the world, often relating to societal division and hatred. This ‘Journeys Live’ event was a great opportunity to acknowledge the challenges that mankind is facing, and instead of letting them divide us, rather we can come together.

This was a joyous occasion, allowing people to unite through food, art, music, and dancing. People were brought together by the power of unity, to celebrate the diversity of cultures on display at the World Music event. The event gave a platform to a vast variety of genres and cultures, with groups such as the Amani Collective and the Manchester International Roots Orchestra (MIRO) bringing performances of African Jazz to ‘cultural fusion rap’ to an enthusiastic crowd.

This event provided a stark contrast to the discriminations, prejudices, and hate that can be found scattered across the globe. The messages of determination to maintain positivity and unity, despite the hardships of the world, were evident in the song lyrics of the musicians, the smiles of the chefs, the pencil marks of the artists, and the words of passion spoken by the charity volunteers.

I left having not only experienced an enjoyable day in the sun but also with a renewed determination that if we come together, we can make the world a better place!