SEE MY WORLD: Living Archives

A Community Archiving Workshop

A hands-on workshop exploring oral history, memory, and community archiving, delivered in partnership with the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE Centre & Education Trust as part of See My World: A Series of Pan-African Experiences.

About the Workshop

This session introduces the fundamentals of oral history and community archiving, with a focus on preserving lived experience, memory, and cultural heritage within African-diasporic and wider communities.

Participants will learn how stories are recorded, cared for, and archived - and why everyday voices matter as official histories. The workshop is designed to be practical, accessible, and grounded in real archival practice.

Whether you’re a local community member, creative, student, or simply curious about how stories are kept living, this session offers tools, context, and confidence to begin.

What You’ll Learn

• Why oral histories are important - especially for underrepresented communities

• How to approach ethical interviewing, consent, and care

• Practical methods for recording and documenting stories

• What happens after a story is recorded: summaries, sensitivity reviewing, and preservation

• How community stories can become part of a living archive

What to Expect

• Hands-on activities and discussion

• Guidance from experienced community archivists

• Space to reflect on your own stories and those around you

• Insight into the Pan-African collections held at Manchester Central Library

Who It’s For

• Community members

• Creatives and artists

• Emerging researchers or heritage practitioners

• Anyone interested in memory, culture, and storytelling

No prior experience is required.

Practical Information

Venue: Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE Centre, Manchester Central Library

Date: Saturday 21 February

Time: 12:00pm – 4:00pm (with breaks)

Capacity: Limited places available

Cost: Free, Travel expenses provided. Refreshments will be provided.

What to bring: Yourself, a notebook, and a pen

Age: Suitable for ages 16+

Why Archiving is Needed

Many community stories risk being lost - not because they lack value, but because they’re rarely recorded or protected. This workshop is about keeping those stories alive, ensuring they are remembered, respected, and accessible for future generations.

This workshop is prodcued by Big People community CIC & Big People Music in partnership with the The Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Race Centre and Education Trust.

Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Lottery Community Fund and Arts Council England.

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Host or Publisher Big People Community CIC