A perfect synergy to nurture and preserve Afghan arts in Belfast UNESCO City of Music.

Seamus Heaney is widely recognized as one of the major poets of the 20th century. A native of Northern Ireland, Heaney was raised in County Derry, and later lived for many years in Dublin. He was the author of over 20 volumes of poetry and criticism, and edited several widely used anthologies. He won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1995 "for works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living past." Heaney taught at Harvard University (1985-2006) and served as the Oxford Professor of Poetry (1989-1994). He died in 2013.

Pictured Beyond Skin guests visiting Belfast, Whirling meditative dancer Anna Rüya Ayyildiz and Afghan/British poet Mursal Kharoti who met with Afghan poet and educator Faiza Nazery (Alghochak Afghan Association) and Rachel Brown and Stephen Connolly at Seamus Heaney Centre Queen's University Belfast
Painting by Colin Davidson

Plans have begun to preserve and share literature (poems / stories) and art  from people in Afghanistan and the the Afghan community in the diaspora. Currently in Afghanistan creative expression through the arts is banned by the regime. Women have no rights and girls and not allowed to go to school.

In exploring ways to preserve and nurture Afghan creative culture and document literature and art by Afghan women under oppression, the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queens is the perfect home.

The alignment of visual art and literature with music and dance.

The interpretation of arts into poems and stories into movement and dance.

Belfast is the safe harbour for exported art by women and girls in Afghanistan.

And channelling into mainstream music industry where vinyl records resurgence has enabled art and music to renew their vows.

As Afghan arts heritage is being erased by the regime, artists and women oppressed, this is Belfast playing our role to be the surrogate creative city of freedom for Afghan artists in Kabul and beyond.

info.beyondskin@gmail.com for more information

Our Afghanistan webpage   www.beyondskin.net/afghanistan