Derry holds 50th Anniversary Civil Rights Festival line-up

Two unique events will come to The playhouse this week as part of a citywide 50th Anniversary Civil Rights Festival.

The events are part of a special programme of commemorative events which will be held to Sunday, October 7 to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Duke Street Civil Rights March.

As part of the programme ‘In the Name of Peace: John Hume in America’ will be screened in The Playhouse theatre this Friday, October 5 at 3pm.

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A compelling feature documentary, narrated by Liam Neeson, with dramatic footage from the conflict in Northern Ireland and stirring accounts by Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter as well as US Congressmen and Senators. The free screening of the film will be followed with Q&A with Maurice Fitzpatrick, filmmaker.

The event will then be followed by ‘More Female Lines: Reflections on 1968’ this Saturday (October 6) at 7pm.

Twelve women writers, poets, and playwrights in Female Lines, an anthology of women writers from Northern Ireland this then perform short readings to reflect on 68 in their work: Some of the women were present at the time, others accompanied parents on civil rights marches, but most of them did not. What they all share is a desire to insert women’s voices into the narrative.

The twelve are: Medbh McGuckian, Paula Cunningham, Grainne Tobin, Cherry Smyth, Rosemary Jenkinson, Jean Bleakney, Anne Devlin, Sheena Wilkinson, Wendy Erskine, Maureen Boyle, Moyra Donaldson, Julieann Campbell.

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“This festival is a unique and important celebration and remembrance of one of the most momentous eras in this city’s history” Pauline Ross at The Playhouse said.

“One of the objectives of The Civil Rights Commemoration Committee are to support and strengthen the protection of civil/human rights throughout Ireland and to share the lessons of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights movement with people working for human rights in situations of conflict. This global approach to exploring the legacy of civil rights in conflict perfectly counterparts The Playhouse’s mission to deliver arts and peace-building programmes that enrich the lives of the people that we serve locally and globally. For us, the arts is a tool for conversation, documentation, reflection and exploration, giving a voice to those who have none in times of conflict, and making stories and shared histories heard. We’re so proud to be part of a commemoration that does this very thing.”

For more information and booking visit www.derryplayhouse.co.uk or www.nicivilrights.org.

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