Far From the Western Front is an 18 month project, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, to mobilise volunteers across London.
Volunteers will:
- research and create a high-profile exhibition at the Royal Geographical Society;
- tell imaginative and emotional digital stories;
- engage communities in the history of South Asian soldiers in WW1.
The project follows the interests of volunteers, who define their own research questions and work independently or in small teams of their own choosing to answer them. Research volunteers are supported in doing this by expert-led workshops at institutions with collections of international importance, including the National Archives, the British Library, the National Army Museum, and the Imperial War Museum.
This research in turn will decide the focus on the exhibition at RGS, to be held in November 2016, and the subject matter of digital stories. The project has a firm focus on engagement and publicity, to promote the contribution made by South Asians in the First World War. Events to engage with groups across London, both within and beyond the Asian community, will be held from the start of 2016.
The project is led by Eleanor Harding, Project Coordinator, who would welcome contact at Eleanor@asiancentre.co.uk. More information on the project, volunteer roles, and our progress can be found on www.southasiansoldiers.org.uk.
