On the 5th June the YCA launched the exhibition of the Yemeni Memories. Yemeni Memories is a lottery heritage funded project which captures the lives and experiences of the settled Yemeni community in Sandwell.
The Yemeni Memories book captured the historical photographs and stories of both the first and second generation Yemeni community who came to settle in Sandwell. The stories captured are individual experiences, personal accounts and journeys of this little known about community.
To support the book a touring exhibition has been created which will enable the YCA to share the project with the wider Sandwell community. We are hoping to be able to be able to showcase the exhibition at Sandwell libraries and Museums.
In addition to the Yemeni Memories book and the touring exhibition the YCA also captured traditional Yemeni cooking through the creation of the Yemeni Kitchen DVD. This DVD features cooking lessons of how to make traditional Yemeni dishes and is aimed at being a learning resource for future generations and non-Yemenis.
The Official launch was attended by well over 100 dignitaries, partners and stakeholders. A short presentation was delivered at the beginning of the launch, followed by networking, tour of the exhibition and a traditional Yemeni lunch.
The feedback from attendees of the launch was very positive with a number of organisations and local schools asking for the touring exhibition to be exhibited at their venues.
The YCA would like to take the opportunity to thank the Heritage Lottery Fund for financially supporting this project, contributors to the Yemeni Memories and Faiz Alowadh for excellently coordinating the project.