Rise Against Racism was London’s biggest free festival, occurring annually between 1996 and 2008. Although the festival was originally funded by trade unions, since 2004 it has been funded by the Greater London Authority and has only grown in size. The festival itself is an eclectic mix of different music genres and has featured artist as diverse as Lemar and Billy Bragg – it really appeals to a huge number of people. Although the music takes the centre stage, the grounds are covered in diverse food stalls and information stalls that really promote the multicultural and anti-racist message of the event. Like the music, these stalls also represent a huge amount of diversity, with the event representing the Afro-Caribbean, Muslim, Jewish, Indian and other communities both in London and the wider UK.
The core message of the festival is essentially anti-racist. The event itself is hugely diverse, attended by members of almost all of London’s minority communities and providing attendees with food and drink from all over the world. It celebrates multiculturalism by involving all of these communities in the creation of the festival’s diversity, and this is reflected in both the music and the atmosphere. People get together to experience new things and to really understand the issues that face the minority communities of London. It is also designed to be fun, and therefore does not preach the message of anti-racism, merely highlights it in a free and safe event.
Use your promo and get a custom paper on
"Rise Against Racism".
Despite the fact that the festival has also been known to promote other messages, most notably the Pro-Life campaign in 2005, the focus on ending discrimination runs strong throughout Rise Against Racism’s history. The festival’s message and themes have proven to be so popular that similar events can now be found in Germany and there are several smaller fairs and events run in the UK created by the same team and promoting the same message. The success of the event just goes to highlight how important the anti-racist message is and how many people feel strongly about preventing discrimination across the country.
Racism is one of the biggest issues in the UK, particularly as it is such a diverse country. Many communities live together in harmony in cities like London and Birmingham, but unfortunately the need to highlight the tensions between communities is still necessary. Events like Rise Against Racism are designed to really highlight this fact and to encourage people to go and learn more about other cultures. Stalls and promotions at the events are also designed to allow people to get more active in the anti-racism movement, meaning that the message is spread far beyond the limits of the festival. In addition, posters and advertisements both within the festival and outside also promote the message and can be taken home and displayed across the country – again helping to show the negative connotations of racism and other forms of discrimination. Rise Against Racism is designed as a safe-haven and a promotional tool, as well as a way of really celebrating London’s Diversity.
Rationale
Rise Against Racism is one of London’s biggest free festivals and therefore reaches a wide audience. The stated aims of the festival are to highlight the issues of racism and to bring the issues to a wider audience. It has a wide range of music genres that appeal to a number of people, again something which brings the festival and its message to a wider audience. Racism is one of the most obvious forms of discrimination and affects a huge number of people, which is why this festival and its aims are so important in the wider picture.
