Bearing Witness to the ‘Pain of Others’; Public Inquiries, Independent Panels, Holding Institutions to Account – Phil Scraton ‘What to do with such knowledge of faraway suffering? … it seems normal for people to [ignore] the ordeals of others. We don’t get it. We truly can’t imagine how dreadful, how terrifying, and how normal it becomes. Can’t understand, can’t imagine.’ (Susan Sontag, 2002) From Jimmy Kelly’s death in Huyton Police Station in 1979 to current research into babies’ deaths and disappearances from Ireland’s mother and baby institutions, Phil Scraton’s work has spanned five decades, exposing institutional abuses of power. His research with families and survivors confronts authoritarianism, challenges official narratives, and highlights the failures of state justice. He argues that critical researchers and human rights lawyers have a responsibility to uncover the truth—the foundation of hope, resistance, and change. Phil Scraton is Professor Emeritus at Queen’s University Belfast, with visiting professorships in Sydney, Auckland, and Amherst. His research focuses on contested deaths, state accountability, incarceration, and children’s rights. His widely published work includes Hillsborough: The Truth, Power, Conflict and Criminalisation, and The Violence of Incarceration. He led the Hillsborough Independent Panel’s research team and was a consultant for the BAFTA-winning ESPN/BBC documentary Hillsborough. In recognition of his work on Hillsborough, Phil was awarded the Freedom of the City of Liverpool. He refused an OBE. Phil is a great friend and supporter of Wow, and we look forward to welcoming back for 2025. In partnership with: Libraries, Museums and Galleries University of Liverpool.

2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end Second World War. Gary Younge, renowned journalist, author and broadcaster, returns to WoWFEST to highlight how, following the war, despite the huge role that they played in WW11, black people have been written out of the story. The 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Paris offers an opportunity to explore the discrepancy between race-based mythologies around Black involvement in the Second World War. Revisiting a photographed moment from near the end of the second world war, ‘through the eyes of the colonised’, Younge will ‘explore a range of mythologies about who fought and what they were fighting for’. and what that tells us about Europe as a whole and how Black people’s presence here is misunderstood. He will also ‘unpick what that tells us about Europe as a whole and how black people’s presence here is misunderstood today’. Gary asks how  conversations about responsibility, patriotism, immigration, integration, equality, and justice would be understood if the contribution of black people was written back in rather than written out, and their role fully acknowledged? Gary Younge is an award-winning author, broadcaster and a professor of sociology at the University of Manchester. Formerly a columnist at The Guardian, he has written six books, most recently Dispatches From the Diaspora. Winner of the 2023 Orwell Prize for Journalism and the 2025 Robert. B. Silvers Prize for Journalism, he has written for the New York Review of Books, Granta, GQ and The New Statesman, among others, and made radio and television documentaries on subjects ranging from gay marriage to Brexit. His fifth book, Another Day in the Death of America, won the J. Anthony Lukas Prize from Columbia School of Journalism and Nieman Foundation. In partnership with: Libraries, Museums and Galleries University of Liverpool.

Join us for a special performance by internationally acclaimed poet and urban griot Levi Tafari as he performs from his new powerful new collection, Being Human. Levi, who graced the stage at the very first WoWFEST, has been a longstanding collaborator, friend and ambassador for Writing on the Wall, inspiring audiences with his unique blend of rhythm, wisdom, and storytelling. In this exciting performance, Levi will explore themes of identity, humanity, and resilience, offering thought-provoking insights. Don’t miss this opportunity to experience a truly dynamic artist who has helped shape the cultural landscape of Liverpool and beyond. Levi Tafari’s Being Human is more than just poetry—it’s a celebration of the human spirit. Levi Tafari is a renowned poet, performer, and educator whose work spans the realms of literature, music, and activism. Known for his powerful storytelling, Tafari’s poetry blends elements of reggae, Rastafari culture, and social commentary. His work has earned him widespread acclaim, as he consistently seeks to inspire and uplift. Levi has performed around the world, captivating audiences along the way. A passionate advocate for youth empowerment and cultural awareness, he has taught poetry and creative writing to students of all ages. Levi has been a member of the Writing on the Wall’s artistic community, working on such project as ‘From Great War to Race Riots’, the ‘Princes Boulevard Steps’ initiative and most recently in the re-opening for Spellow Library. Levi is a Honorary Citizen of the City of Liverpool. In partnership with: Libraries, Museums and Galleries University of Liverpool.