Welcome to a special symposium on Muslim women creatives with Dr Saskia Warren and Raabia Hussain. In this talk Dr Saskia Warren, an author and a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography will discuss some key findings from her new book, British Muslim Women in the Cultural and Creative Industries (2022, EUP). Research commissioned by the Equality and Human Rights Commission highlights that only a minority of UK-based surveys have asked questions which might contribute to an understanding of religious discrimination and even fewer ask about religious discrimination openly.

Drawing on examples, she will explore how religion/faith interrelate with other indexes of difference, reshaping work-lives and the changing morphology of society, culture, and public life.

Raabia Hussain, an award-winning adventure filmmaker, Activist from Manchester, will share her experience as a filmmaker. Her accolades include the award-winning documentary. Two Deaf Travellers and the programme This is Deaf.

As an international humanitarian activist Raabia will share how she inspires and helps people especially from the ethnic minority, to represent themselves in front of and behind the camera.

Refreshments Provided.

Introduced by: Prof John Mcauliffe, poet, Co-Director,

University of Manchester’s Centre for New Writing.

Hosted by: Dr Jenna Ashton, artist, curator, and producer, and Lecturer in Heritage Studies at the Institute for Cultural Practices, University of Manchester

In partnership with Creative Manchester, University of Manchester.

MACFEST’s mission is: celebrating arts, diversity and connecting communities. MACFEST, a winner of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, offers a rich feast of over 75 events from 18th February to July 30th, celebrating the rich heritage of the Muslim diaspora communities. It is founded and directed by Qaisra Shahraz MBE FRSA, British-Pakistani novelist, peace activist and culture champion.

www.macfest.org.uk