.. As British As Fish And Chips — Poetry, Refugees & the English Channel | Online, Sat., 10 Jan. 2026 (6pm-7.30pm UK time)

[Ambrose Musiyiwa]

Greetings,

Join us for poetry and conversation focusing on the escalating tragedy of refugee deaths in the English Channel (La Manche).

The readings and conversation take place online on Saturday, 10 January 2026, from 6pm till 7.30pm (UK time).

REGISTRATION

To attend, book your ticket here.

ABOUT THE READINGS AND CONVERSATION

As part of the indaba, poets contributing to La Manche: Journal of English Channel Poetry (CivicLeicester, forthcoming) will comment on what is happening in and around the Channel, and will read and discuss their work.

There will also be a Q&A and conversation with all present.

The indaba asks:

• What are the systemic, social, political, economic, historical and contemporary factors leading to how human beings fleeing war, conflict and persecution are perishing in the cold waters of the Strait of Dover?
• Why is the English Channel the only route available to the people?
• How do we remember those who are dying? And,
• How do we confront the attitudes, ideologies, policies and beliefs that make these deaths permissible and the people unmournable?

Poets taking part include Philip Rösel Baker, Hongwei Bao, Syd Bolton, Safoora Cheriki, A C Clarke, Heather Falconer, Jennifer Fox, Paul Francis, Ilan Kelman, and Hastie Salih.

More information on the poets is available here.

The conversation is hosted by Forced Migration and The Arts, and the Africa Migration Report Poetry Anthology Series

REFERENCES:

[1] Call for Poems: Refugees Are As British As Fish And Chips 
[2] The Africa Migration Report Poetry Anthology Series: Concept Note 

Kind regards,

Ambrose Musyiwa

Coordinator, Africa Migration Report Poetry Anthology Series

Ambrose Musiyiwa | Coordinator, Journeys in Translation (Journal Article; Video Playlist), and The Africa Migration Report Poetry Anthology Series (Concept Note; Call for Submissions; Funding Appeal; Video Playlist) | (Ed.) [New Book] Japa Fire: An Anthology of Poems on African and African Diasporic Migration (CivicLeicester, 2024. Co-edited with Munya R from the migrants' rights collective, Regularise); Welcome to Britain: An Anthology of Poems and Short Fiction (CivicLeicester, 2023); Black Lives Matter: Poems for a New World (CivicLeicester, 2020)