
ECHR75 - The celebration begins
28 Jun 2025
English Cabaret's Songs of the People is commemorating and celebrating the protections of ECHR in its 75th year. Travelling up to Dornoch for their first ECHR 75 commemorative performance of the season they took opportunities to sing and celebrate.
In Manchester at the Friend's Meeting House they were pleased to be asked to punctuate the Quakers silent vigil against constrictions on protest. ECHR Article 11 is Freedom of Assembly and Association and they celebrated it with an impromptu performance of There are Waters which lists all the articles of the Convention. On these steps two years ago, during the Conservative Party Conference, they first sang as then home secretary Suella Braverman outlined the government's Rwanda plan in the conference hall just a short step away. As the year of commemoration continues they are in discussion about returning with a full performance later in the year.
In Liverpool, Songs of the People joined LJMU 's Legal Advice Centre at the Amnesty Oyé Combined Arts and Human Rights Festival. Originally planned to be in Sefton Park, overnight rain moved the festival indoors to the nearby Ullet Rd Church and Hall, but rain didn't dampen the passion of the groups attending to sing, speak and set up stall. After singing to a captive audience, ECHR 75 badges were handed out from the stall to spread the word about the performance at the Museum of Liverpool later in the year. Alongside the performance of Dreams of Peace LJMU's 'Living library' of case studies will be on hand to offer an insight into the value of ECHR in Liverpool and the UK today.
Find out more about our commemorative performance in Liverpool on November 1st.