“Afia Abusham is a British-Sudanese Actress & Writer. Through her poetry she explores her experiences of the world, reflecting on her Sudanese heritage & using her musical background to further her storytelling with the use of rhythm & melody.” – @HaleToAfia

Afia was also one of the collaborators working behind the scenes to make the day happen.

“Awab is a young doctor, currently working for Greenpeace. Awab is involved in advocacy surrounding Sudan, specifically engaging and organising with Madaniya and London for Sudan as a volunteer. His beliefs are based strongly in a view of history which highlights the dangers of apathy and the importance of solidarity in the face of injustice and a keen interest in how apathy is purposely bred within democratic societies.

“Ayah Speaks is a bilingual poet, actor, hike leader and workshop facilitator. Her work centres on themes of mental health, mindfulness, identity and soul empowerment.

She describes her poetry as offerings to the universe in a medley of light and uncomfortable truths served in a comical way with a hint of sarcasm. Ayah prays that the message in her poetry today is Witnessed, may you explore what your soul seeks as Ayah Speaks…” – Ayah Speaks

“Dr Zaza Elsheikh is a domestic and international conflict resolution specialist. She formerly worked as a medical doctor and as a solicitor and is the president of the Sudanese Legal Network, a group of Lawyers and allies from other disciplines who are committed to advocating for peace in Sudan, supporting returning Sudanese and refugees and providing humanitarian assistance for displaced Sudanese in Egypt through fundraising events.”

“Eljae is a poet, performer, and language lover who enjoys cake as much as community. She has been commissioned by Moving Forward Sudan and Publicis Groupe Ltd,published in adda magazine and Propel Magazine, performed at Makrooh as well as Vocals and Verses, and participated in Azzah fi Hawak and BBC Words First – to name a few. Eljae has most recently produced an immersive poetry installation for a collaborative arts exhibition at The Africa Centre, and is currently working towards her first solo collection, amidst other projects outside of poetry.”

Mohamed Gaafar is a civil engineer by background, climate founder and poet, by way of passion and necessity. He leverages his storytelling to navigate the climate & humanitarian crises and where they intersect in his profession and his poetry,- which is centred around Sudan and it’s Diaspora. As a British Sudanese Muslim, he turned to writing to understand the complexities of belonging, as part of the diaspora, and the feeling of foreignness in places that can feel simultaneously like home and abroad. As well as to reconnect and raise awareness of what’s been happening in Sudan since the 2019 revolution.

Momo Koubani is a sudanese londoner and co-founder of Madaniya, a sudanese diaspora collective organising around the Sudanese revolution and building support and solidarity in the UK for the people back in Sudan.

“Nooralden, also known as Coman, is Sudanese, from the Nuba mountains, a human rights defender and a student of development studies at Kampala international university KIU, who now lives as a refugee in Kampala, Uganda. He is currently fundraising to pursue a masters at SOAS.”

Suraiya is a Nigerian-German PhD candidate and lapsed lawyer living in the UK. She worked in Khartoum in 2018 and 2019 on issues around the criminalisation of women from marginalised groups. She currently organises with Captain Support focusing on building community to resist the violence of the UK border regime.