Botkyrka, a municipality in suburban Stockholm that embraces multiculturalism, is hosting a festival to raise awareness for those who live in places that do not have freedom of expression. The festival This is Alby ft. Urban Voices will take place in Alby, Botkyrka, Sweden, on 22nd August 2015.
By inviting artists that have fought for people’s freedom of speech and expression, Botkyrka is showing Sweden – and the artists’ native countries – that they support the fight that these people have had to endure. Furthermore, they stand example for some of Sweden’s other municipalities who need to work on embracing diversity and multiculturalism.
”Hip-hop taught me to be strong and how to face men”, says MC Soultana and she’s rapping about why she fights to make the female voice heard. She’s also committed to improving the opportunity for women to get an education in Morocco.
Prevailing as a hip-hop artist in Morocco, MC Soultana has had to balance between fighting for change and not criticizing the King or the government. The same goes for the other two hip-hop artists that Botkyrka welcomes to Urban Voices.
“My mother, my mother’s mother suffered in prison. And because of this, I was forced to be a war child”, Emmanuel Jal raps in his song Warchild, released in 2008.
Hip-hop activist Emmanuel Jal is born and raised in Sudan. He was quickly scooped up by the guerilla that made him become a child soldier. Later, he managed to flee to Kenya where he started to deal with his trauma and make music to heal and to raise awareness. He’s become famous as a humanitarian activist and he’s sharply critiqued American rappers for depicting “gangster life” with guns and fights as something cool and romantic.
“From the day I was born, the people have been my responsibility. I was raised between the West and East, between two languages, between rich and poor”, raps Shadia Mansour in the song Keffiye.
Shadia Mansour lives in the UK, but she has roots in Palestine. She’s famous for being committed to the crisis situations of the West bank and fights for human rights for the people of Palestine.
Botkyrka municipality is supporting freedom of expression and making an example for the whole world: this is how you celebrate multicultural citizenship. If you are in Sweden on the 22th August, come and get inspired by these awesome brave artists.
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Video Credits:
Video made by: RNW reporters Raja Felgata & Margo de Haas
Find out more about the event here!
Artists who will perform:
Shadia Mansour (Palestina/UK)
MC Soultana (Marocko)
Emmanuel Jal (Sudan/UK)
Sister Justice / Keya / Sami Alamien / Akiki / Nikz / Sara Hanski / 14X / Aiman / Esther Ndaula / Jenny G / Bianca L’eclairage / Brääändy / ALX / DJ Fairytella/ Hasses kompis med Vi Måste Våga Tala Om Det / Dynasti/ Matale med Fredrik Quiñones, Anton Borgström & Robin Sundberg
