Perth Against Racism is working with Stand Up To Racism Tayside and Fife to present a positive and inspiring online event this Saturday to mark UN Anti Racism Day.
The group, which formed in 2016, has Perth poet and Writers’ Federation makar Jim Mackintosh lined up to read verse, Blackford-based comedian Bruce Fummey for some home-based stand-up, and young speakers and musicians to boot for the free virtual gathering on Zoom starting at 6.30pm.
A splash of colour - blue, yellow and pink, the colours of Anti Racism - will cover Smeaton's Bridge in Perth after dark on Saturday as the council has agreed to mark the date with a colourful light display.
Cat Mackay of Perth Against Racism described the event, which anybody can join on Facebook: “Join us on Saturday for an evening of amazing speakers, music, comedy and poetry.
“There’s been a great response to our event on our Facebook page -137 people responded when we put it out there.
“We are delighted to have poet Jim Mackintosh supporting us. Jim, who is poet in residence at St Johnstone Football Club and the Cateran EcoMuseum, will be doing a reading of poems that he has written about Back Lives Matter (BLM) and the murder of George Floyd.
“We are also hoping to hear him read ‘Wave Back’, a poem he wrote about the obscene, badly-judged idea of sending journalists to the English Channel to interview refugees.
“Our group Perth Against Racism is happy that Pinar Aksu, an award-winning human rights activist who works in refugee support at Maryhill Integration Network, will be taking part on Saturday.
“Pinar is our representative for Stand Up To Racism Tayside and Fife and as an actor she has taken to the stage to perform in the plays ‘Where are you really from?’ and ‘Home’.
“A thoroughly dedicated and amazing woman, Pinar works tirelessly to ensure that refugees are treated with dignity and have all of the support available to them.”
Also on the bill is Jack Shehata, the University of the Highlands and Islands Students’ Association vice president of higher education.
Cat added: “You may have read in the PA that students attending HISA’s annual students’ association conference, HISA Con, voted on January 27 in favour of the motion to decolonise the curriculum across all the UHI facilities, with Perth College among them.
“As concerns are rising across the country regarding the narrowness and one-sidedness of university programs, decolonising the curriculum will be a crucial step for the University of the Highlands and Islands in broadening the institution’s intellectual vision to include the voices and perspectives of under-represented groups.
“We are delighted to have a contribution from the Counter Culture Collective for our event.
“Barkryte (Alex) and the rest of the collective of musicians are from across Tayside and Angus.
“Unfortunately, they cannot play live together due to the current circumstances, so we will be playing a video made especially for us.”
Everything needed to enjoy the pro diversity online celebration is at https://www.facebook.com/events/182822846697905
