Teesdale School is delighted to announce that we have been approved as an official partner of the Freedom City 2017 project to mark the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. receiving an honorary degree from Newcastle University.
Teesdale School will co-ordinate a series of NELT wide initiatives that will culminate in an evening of history, music and art in November 2017. The project leader, Dr Simon Henderson, said “this is a fantastic opportunity for staff, students and parents to engage with the legacy of King and explore how his message of racial and social justice can be applied today.”
Freedom City 2017 is a city wide programme marking the 50th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King Jr. receiving an honorary degree from Newcastle University.
Commemorating the themes of Dr King’s passionate speech in Newcastle – his final public address outside America before his assassination – Freedom City 2017 explores what Dr King called ‘urgent and great problems’ all over the world; ‘the problem of racism, the problem of poverty and the problem of war’.
Taking place throughout the year, Freedom City 2017 culminates in a series of centrepiece events in November, including Freedom City on the Tyne – an epic, day-long series of performances commemorating historic civil rights marches from across the world.
A special city-wide cultural programme across Newcastle and Gateshead will see Freedom City 2017 events throughout the year at venues including BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, Northern Stage, Live Theatre and Seven Stories, National Centre for Children’s Books.
In addition to the cultural events and performances, an education and academic programme - delivered by Newcastle University - will explore the themes of Dr King’s speech and bring his legacy to life for a new generation.
Freedom City 2017 features work by international artists, musicians, filmmakers, academics and community groups in a city-wide inspired by the themes of Dr King’s 1967 Newcastle speech.
Watch this space for more news as the project unfolds, and for more information, visit www.freedomcity2017.com