Project Pause is a collaborative space for people with experience of displacement or migration to share wisdom. These centred-voices share hope and help to all who are learning to navigate a life on pause and the effects of sudden change. Project Pause is a live interactive archive, featuring stories and testimonies, experiences and wisdom shared by people with experience of displacement. Wisdom can be shared in many ways.
Project Pause seeks to centre the voices of those with experience of displacement and migration. Anyone can unexpectedly taste a little of what displaced people routinely experience. Even as millions are locked down in order to slow the spread of the Covid-19 virus, life as we know it, is put on pause.
But the lives of displaced people, asylum seekers and refugees have already been put on pause numerous times. Through stories we can become aware of our similarities and can build connections across communities and experiences to imagine a better tomorrow.
As someone locked-down by Covid-19 loses their freedom of movement, their connections with loved ones and ability to control their destiny, perhaps they can have a new conversation with some of the millions of people who are forcibly displaced.
And hopefully those who are new to having their world turned upside down will empathise more with displaced people and learn from those who have already coped with far more extreme disturbance, disruption and disaster. Together we can build a more welcoming environment.
Britain’s First Refugee CampNapier Barracks resident ‘S’ and Project Pause co-creator Maddie share their experiences on The Worldwide Tribe podcast: theworldwidetribe.com/podcast/