The Experts by Experience podcast celebrates National Poetry Day with the theme of Refuge in collaboration with Forward Arts Foundation.

Forward Arts Foundation is responsible for National Poetry Day, an annual mass celebration of poetry encouraging all to enjoy, discover and share poetry. As the art form’s most visible moment, it showcases how poetry adds value to society.

Poems penetrate our souls and touch the deepest parts of our hearts the way perhaps thousands of articles or news pieces cannot do so. Poets can communicate emotions directly to many and are an excellent tool for people with lived experiences in the asylum system to express their pains, trauma, and frustration.

Nicola Davies, an author and poet alongside Jason Thomas-Fournillier , an EbE, an LGBTQ+ campaigner and an active member of RAS voice with Sarah Croft, the Head of Drama at Litchfield Cathedral school, explores the admirable utility of a poem that lends itself to expressing such diverse emotions.

Books mentioned in this podcast are:

1. Choose Love⁠ by Nicola Davies (Author), Petr Horáček (Illustrator)
2. The Song That Sings Us by Nicola Davies (Author)
3. The Day War Came by Nicola Davies (Author), Rebecca Cobb (Illustrator)

Azadeh Hosseini, the Communication and engagement officer at Refugee Action, produced and edited this episode.

If you like to take action, fight the hostile environment and support asylum seekers, please visit ⁠⁠Refugee Action.⁠⁠

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