Projects & Activities
The Swadhinata Trust's launch event for Tower Hamlets 2000 Other Peoples' Houses was a multimedia club night created for and with young people. Click on 'Party' to see what a success it was.
Incorporated into the night were the collaborative performances created by young people working with Asian Dub Foundation Education, poet Joyoti Grech and visual jockey Coco. Click on ‘Workshops’ for more.
The performances, which reflected the young Bengali participants’ hopes, fears and aspirations about growing up in Britain today, amalgamated spoken word with visuals and live sound. To see examples of the poems please go to the poem page.
At present Swadhinata Trust is busy preparing the next edition of its magazine ‘Bengali Info’. If you are interested in contributing, please click on ‘Magazine’ in the menu panel.
There are plans for further events and activities click on ‘Plans’ to find out more
A History of Bengali Music and Musicians in the UK
This oral history project will aim to document multi-generational experiences of Bengali music in Britain, and examples of the music itself.
Social learning about COVID-19
Social learning about COVID-19 vulnerability and social distancing in high density populations: the case of UK urban dwelling Bangladeshis.
Defending Bangladeshi bloggers under threat
Secular humanist bloggers, activists, publishers, university lecturers, members of minority community & foreign nationals are being systematically targeted by religious extremists in Bangladesh.
History walk and trail
Tower Hamlets Council with Swadhinata Trust’s assistance has produced, in September 2004, a Bengali History Walk booklet Exploring Banglatown and the Bengali East End (pdf 444Kb) to introduce evidence of Bengali history and for people to explore for themselves in and around Brick Lane.
BRICK LANE 1978 - THE TURNING POINT
BRICK LANE 1978: THE TURNING POINT is a major new heritage project exploring the May 1978 anti-racist uprising organised by the Bengali community around Brick Lane.
With the help of local volunteers and original activists, Brick Lane 1978: The Turning Point investigates how and why this watershed moment unfolded.
Voices of The Bengal Famine
Would you like to share stories and experiences from yourself, your ancestors or your community as part of a new cultural project? If so, we want to hear from you!
One Tower Hamlets for All
Fundamentalism and the ‘faith industry’ in Tower Hamlets
Minority communities residing in the UK have had many labels imposed on them since their arrival in large numbers in the 1960s and ’70s. In recent years there has been a focus on faith, so those once identified as ‘Asians’ are now described in religious terms.
Oral History Project: Tales of three generations of Bengalis in Britain
Tales of three generations of Bengalis in the UK: Bengali Oral History Project
September 2005 – August 2006
There are approximately 500,000 Bengalis currently living in the UK.
The Pickle Project
Brick Lane is home to our social enterprise, the Pickle Project. By immersing people in an area with real culture, history and interesting people, we are able to provide unique learning opportunities for companies that want to develop, entertain and inspire people.
Tower Hamlets Bengali Heritage Trail : Bengalis in London’s East End
The Bengali Heritage Trail around Tower Hamlets will unlock the history of Britain’s first Bengali settlers, seamen known as Lascars, and will connect key landmarks such as the docks and buildings associated with the seamen who served on British naval and merchant ships from the 17th century onwards. The trail will be described in a booklet made available and online and at a special exhibition and seminar.
