Description of impact
Over three years, Lily Hamourtziadou (Birmingham City University) partnered with Keele University and the New Vic Theatre to deliver performances and workshops on war and migration. Engaging over 600 participants, the project combined research and creative practice to amplify migrant voices and raise awareness of the human impact of conflict and displacement. The project originated following initial discussions with the New Vic Theater regarding the development of a play focused on the Middle East. Drawing on expertise of Dr Hamourtziadou as a casualty recorder for Iraq Body Count, as well as experience as a researcher and scholar of the region, the aim was to enhance understanding within the community of the complex issues associated with refugee movements from the Middle East. The idea was to bring together community voices, creative practice, and lived experience to explore how migration shape’s identity, belonging, and perceptions of the future. Migration, whether experienced directly or through ancestral histories, plays a significant role in shaping individuals and communities. Whether undertaken by choice or necessity, migration has been fundamental to human development across economic, social, and psychological dimensions. This project examines the concepts of human security and insecurity through collaborative engagement with migrant communities living in the United Kingdom. A series of creatively focused workshops with arts, crafts, wellbeing, reflection, music, and drama designed to capture personal experiences of war and migration and notions of peace to prepare the performance script were carried out.Since 2024, four performances have occurred:
•September 2024, New Vic Theatre, ‘Voices From’
•July 2025, Goldsmiths University, ‘Voices From’
•November 2025, New Vic Theatre, ‘Peace is Home’
•January 2026, Goldsmiths University, ‘Peace is Home’
Over 600 people watched the 4 performances of the docudramas and took part in workshops.
Through this project we shed light on the current situations in the Middle East and Ukraine and gave a platform to narratives of personal experiences regarding war and migration, deliver new insights into the human costs of 21st-century wars by examining the coping strategies of migrants in their new environments and their perceptions of security and insecurity. We provided a forum for dialogue between members of migrant communities, academic researchers, and policymakers to raise policy and public awareness about their needs.
This project strongly supports the ambitions set out in BCU’s Strategy 2030, particularly in relation to civic engagement, inclusive practice, research with impact, and student and community transformation. The initiative demonstrates a clear commitment to civic responsibility and regional engagement. By collaborating with Keele University and the New Vic Theatre, and engaging directly with migrant communities, the project extends academic activity beyond the university setting and into the community. It creates meaningful partnerships that contribute to cultural, social, and public discourse, aligning with BCU’s ambition to be a university that actively serves its communities. The project reflects BCU’s focus on inclusivity and widening participation. By amplifying the voices of migrants and individuals with lived experience of war and displacement, the work centres underrepresented perspectives. The participatory workshops and performances create accessible platforms for expression, ensuring that diverse communities are not only included but are active contributors to knowledge creation.
It also contributes to research with real-world impact, a central pillar of Strategy 2030. It translates academic research on war, migration, and human security into creative outputs that are accessible to wider audiences. Through docudrama, workshops, and public engagement, the project bridges the gap between research and practice, influencing public understanding and informing dialogue among communities, academics, and policymakers.
| Impact date | 1 Sept 2023 → 29 May 2026 |
|---|---|
| Impact level | Engagement |