Voices of Hope - Online Exhibition

The project

As part of SCILT’s Mother Tongue, Other Tongue poetry competition, SCILT received several entries from young people who have very recently become refugees living in Scotland, displaced by the war in Ukraine. We wanted the world to be able to access these wonderfully creative and emotive pieces of writing. Along with our partners at the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) Glasgow branch, which serves as an information and support hub for Ukrainian refugees, we created “Voices of Hope – Poetry from the New Scots Children of Ukraine”. This online exhibition serves as a platform to showcase the moving work of these Ukrainian children and young people.

Launched as part of Refugee Week Scotland 2023, “Voices of Hope” aspires to raise awareness of the experiences, sorrows, hopes and dreams of the children whose poems are showcased here. We hope that it will provide a lingering sense of solace and hope for refugee communities, Ukrainian or otherwise, and offer their peers the chance to understand what their new friends are experiencing. We want to show displaced Ukrainian people that their voices are heard and valued, and that they reach out, across and beyond Scotland, to touch friends and family in other parts of the world, including Ukraine.

The theme for the Refugee Festival Scotland 2023 is “Hope”. This exhibition celebrates triumph over advertsity, creating a channel for other people to identify with these shared experiences. This opportunity to validate feelings and experiences reinforces the sense of community and solidarity that we want displaced Ukrainians to find in Scotland. Community, togetherness and visibility bring hope because they show tangibly that the people of Ukraine are far from forgotten.

The launch

On Wednesday 21 June 2023, SCILT and the AUGB hosted an event to celebrate the launch of “Voices of Hope – Poetry from the New Scots Children of Ukraine” at the Ramshorn building in Glasgow’s Merchant City. The event provided the opportunity to celebrate the work of Ukrainian children and young people, and for their teachers, parents, and the wider community to come together in solidarity and peace.

The launch commenced with opening remarks from SCILT and CISS Director Fhiona Mackay, who welcomed everyone and spoke warmly about the young poets’ courage and resilience. Attendees were then treated to a viewing of the exhibition, an inspiring showcase of children and young people’s poetry, highlighting their creativity and powers of expression. 

Following the launch, attendees had the chance to enjoy some refreshments and take the opportunity to share their impressions of the poetry on display. Some of the beautiful comments added to our “poet-tree” pictured below include:

"Believe, hope, support" and "Peace, hope, love".

Finally, the online exhibition was unveiled on the SCILT website. View the exhibition launch video below: