24 Oct 08

DJoee Tomakloe performed in the courtyard at Rewley House.

Exhibitions, talks, a film and a festival have been organised to celebrate Black History Month at the University of Oxford.

The Zivani festival at the Department for Continuing Education at Rewley House on Wednesday had the theme of ‘positive images’.

Zivani literally translates as 'know ye one another’ and the festival included music, storytelling, art, stalls and discussion sessions.

Leyla Okhai, Race Equality Project Officer in the University’s Equality and Diversity Unit, organised the events and said: ‘The University of Oxford was delighted to be part of national Black History Month. The events were varied and drew a wide variety of audiences from the University and local community. I was proud to work alongside the local and national black communities to promote and commemorate black history in Oxford.’

Other events have been taking place throughout the month. An exhibition, ‘Images of the Transatlantic slave trade: rediscovered histories’, was on display at the Museum of Natural History at the start of October. The Aegis Trust helped commemorate and remember the Rwandan genocide at an evening event at Wadham College. Director of the trust, Dr James Smith, gave a talk and was joined by a survivor of the genocide and an Oxford student who has spent time in Rwanda.

The final Black History Month event is a free film screening at the Saïd Business School on the 29 October at 19.15. ‘Burning an illusion’ is a film that has been said to mark a coming-of-age for black British cinema. Directed by Menelik Shabazz it follows the story of a young British-born black woman in 1980s London.