The Edinburgh International Festival (EIF) has launched a brand new podcast series to mark World Refugee Day. The first episode is available now.  

Titled I Am An Immigrant, the weekly podcast series examines the work of  refugee and immigrant artists in Scotland, and spotlights art featured in the Festival’s Refuge Programme, a varied season of contemporary theatre, dance, visual art, film and conversation created in collaboration with the Scottish Refugee Council to explore themes of refugeehood, migration, identity and inclusion.  

I Am An Immigrant is presented by ice&fire Theatre and hosted by Christine Bacon. The first instalment of the five-episode series welcomes mandla rae, the Zimbabwean writer, performer and curator, who’ll discuss the immigrant experience and mandla’s theatre work as british as a watermelon, which weaves together poetry and storytelling to explore themes of belonging, trauma and forgiveness.  

Continuing its deep dive into the world of the EIF, the next four episodes of I Am An Immigrant will be released throughout June and July and feature conversations with Malaysian dancer Mavin Khoo, New Zealand soprano Madison Nonoa, dancer Akeim Toussaint Buck, and Palestinian-born artist Leena Nammari.  

Sabir Zazai, Chief Executive from Scottish Refugee Council said, 'Scottish Refugee Council is honoured to collaborate with the Edinburgh International Festival and mark this very special anniversary year. 

'This has been a year of terrible stories. War in Ukraine, unrest in Afghanistan, families stranded and separated by bureaucracy, Rwandan detention centres and people left with no option but to risk their lives on dangerous journeys in a desperate bid to reach a place of safety. 

'In this relentless fight for human rights and freedoms, we must not forget to reflect on hard won triumphs as well. Had Rudolph Bing not sought and been granted refugee protection here 75 years ago, this world class festival may not exist. The cultural fabric of Scotland would be very different. We are in awe of his legacy, and of the exceptional artists performing as part of Refuge.'

The first episode of I Am An Immigrant is available online now.