This exciting new podcast series is a collection of short poems and stories from twelve writers living in Baghdad and Nottingham, offering a unique window into the lives of those in two distinct UNESCO Cities of Literature, featuring original writing from emerging and established artists, with an emphasis on under-represented voices.

The 12 podcast episodes have developed through online conversations, pairing the writers to reflect and explore themes that connect their pieces to create a series of duets:

Like Betty by Mufaro Makubika, a playwright of African descent (Nottingham) and The Tigris Balcony by communication engineer Ali Muhammed (Baghdad)

 

Legend of the River Mumma by poet, artivist, self-described Black Wellness Warrior Cara Thompson (Nottingham) and Voices in my Head by Mina Ali Shareef, an educational content creator (Baghdad)

Hydra by Georgina Wilding, a poet and performer (Nottingham) and Ishtar Makes Films in Baghdad by digital content maker with a master's degree in computer science Budoor Al Abid (Baghdad)

 

Hope is The Thing with Feathers by poet and theatre maker Leanne Moden (Nottingham) and Baghdad: A Masterpiece of Helpless by Iraqi poet and journalist Mubeen Khishany (Baghdad)

The Willows by writer, director and theatre-maker Michael Pinchbeck (Nottingham) and Palm Tree Orchard by Sijal Al-Rekabi, a poet with a PhD in Aquatic Microbiology from Reading (Baghdad)
Shock Waves by writer and theatre-maker Andy Barrett (Nottingham) and City of the Richter Scale by poet, translator, essayist and academic Sadek R. Mohammed (Baghdad)


Supported by the British Council Arts Digital Collaboration Fund.