School event only, not open to general public

Time: 10:00am-12:00pm

Location: Blessed Trinity College, Belfast

North Star is a large scale creative arts event, commissioned as part of Belfast's year of culture throughout 2024, focusing on renowned abolitionist Frederick Douglass and his visit to Belfast in 1845. The project has been working with four schools across Belfast to create written pieces that reflect on Belfast as their home. This workshop sees a select number of students from each school come together for an immersive performance workshop with actors Paul Oakley Stovall and Nikhil Saboo, who will guide the students in how to translate their written works from the page to the stage.

Schools involved: Blessed Trinity College, Lagan College, Ashfield Girls School, St Colm's School

Find out more about the North Star project HERE.

1 hour

Meeting point: Starting point is outside the Imperial Hotel, Cork

Free tickets: Register HERE

The Cork Abolitionists Trail was developed by the Globe Lane Initiative/#DouglassWeek team, and the walking tour will be led by Globe Lane Initiative Board Member Dr Adrian Mulligan

The Cork Abolitionists Trail (CAT) is a legacy project of #DouglassWeek and was launched in 2021. It continues to be developed by The Globe Lane Initiative and our partners at Cork City Council. The trail illuminates some of the key locations where the former slave and American abolitionist Frederick Douglass delivered public lectures during his 1845 visit to the city. It also provides an insight into the rich history and geography of Corkonian abolitionism which would prove so consequential to achieving emancipation in the United States especially. While Frederick Douglass was the best-known abolitionist to visit Cork, he was part of a tradition involving many other abolitionists who made the journey before and after him. The Cork Abolitionists Trail, part of the Journeys for Freedom Project, highlights locations visited by these extraordinary women and men and amplifies their stories and those of the Irish people and organisations that inspired them.

We are grateful to our partners at Cork City Council and the Imperial Hotel for their support.

Read more about our Cork Abolitionists Trail on our website.

FREE tickets: Register HERE

1 hour

Time: 1:00-2:00pm

Location: VIRTUAL

WATCH HERE: (LINK TO BE ADDED)

A talk by Dr Mary O’Rawe, Senior Law Lecturer (Ulster University) and Barrister

Frederick Douglass ‘prayed for freedom for twenty years, but received no answer until I prayed with my legs.’ This talk is a meditation on how new scientific understandings from ecologically-entangled, interrelational neurobiology give fresh legs to ancient wisdom traditions, signposting how mindfully-embodied visceral exploration of autonomic processes could be key to the co-production of safety, freedom and evolving consciousness.

Time: 3:00-4:30pm

Location: Hybrid event, 2 Royal Avenue, BT1 1DA Belfast and online

While Frederick Douglass himself did not directly address LGBTQIA+ rights, his legacy of fighting for justice, equality and human rights for marginalized communities aligns with the broader principles of inclusivity and social justice. Many contemporary activists and scholars draw connections between Douglass's work and the ongoing struggles for LGBTQIA+ rights, recognizing the importance of intersectionality in fighting for the rights of all marginalized communities. Douglass's emphasis on the inherent dignity and worth of every individual, his commitment to challenging oppressive systems and his belief in the power of solidarity and collective action will guide and inspire this panel when participants, both in-person and virtually, delve into critical topics surrounding LGBTQIA+ rights, intersectional justice and social inclusion. The panel features voices from diverse backgrounds and experiences, including Martin Murray from Sporting Pride, Kieran Higgins from Ulster University, Cllr Micky Murray and Cllr Séamas de Faoite from Belfast City Council, Susanna Speed, Sr. Director, Diversity, Equity & Belonging at Trillium Health Rochester and co-organizer of Pride Rochester, and Terence Pleasant, Director of Community Prevention Services and co-organizer of Pride Rochester, NY, as well as MA student on Racial issues and Migration law at University College Dublin and co-host of Hush Dialogues, Paula Martinez. The panel will explore the effects of anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation across the US, Ireland and Northern Ireland, delve into the housing, economic and mental health needs of LGBTQIA+ communities and discuss strategies for supporting LGBTQIA+ youth.

Join us as we tackle pressing questions such as fostering empathy across diverse communities, addressing challenges in housing and mental health and advocating for inclusive sports participation. Together, we'll navigate the complex landscape of identity politics and work towards a more inclusive and equitable future for all.

1.5 hours

Time: 7:00-8:30pm

Location: Áras Uí Chonghaile, The James Connolly Visitor Centre, 374, 376 Falls Rd, BT12 6DG Belfast

Talk by Takura Donald Makoni, who is Zimbabwean, born in Leeds and raised in Lesotho, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Botswana. He is currently the Policy Officer at the African and Caribbean Support Organisation Northern Ireland (ACSONI).

Much of the western world associates African heritage with slavery, perceived as an issue of the past. This talk explores beyond the confines of slavery, looking at broader themes such as colonialism, imperialism and the global balance of power.

It recognises that not all individuals of African heritage necessarily have a direct connection to slavery but that many of those peoples share a historical link to colonialism, a mindset that goes hand in hand with slavery.

Time: 6:00pm

Location: Queen’s Film Theatre (QFT), 20 University Square, BT7 1PA Belfast

Film Screening of Glory (1989), introduced by Dr Brian Kelly (QUB)

Tickets and more information can soon be found on the QFT website.

This event will be postponed, and we will make an announcement soon to let you know about the new date/time for this event.

1 hour

Time: 10:00pm GMT/ 5:00pm EST
Location: Hybrid event, University of Rochester/QUB and online

Watch here: (link available closer to the event)

Featuring University of Rochester PhD student Micah Williams in conversation with colleagues from University of Rochester and PhD student Jamie-Lukas Campbell at Queen’s University Belfast

What does it mean to be Black, and how far does its parameters reach? Is the mantle of Blackness enough to share solidarity with one another? If so (or if not), how does that affect our history and our liberation? We will have a candid conversation on retaining and championing one’s values and culture in a nation that is multitudinous, yet homogenizing. Through this, the discussion will also include reflections on how we as individuals operate on American/euro-centric soil to how we connect together as a whole while acknowledging space, distance, culture and nationality.