Belfast’s “Pandemic Heroes” are to receive the Freedom of the City, during a free concert at the Waterfront later this summer.
Belfast councillors heard details of the plan honouring the contribution of city’s frontline workers and communities on August 25, during the council’s most recent Strategic Policy and Resources committee.
Council Chief Executive John Walsh told elected representatives: “From September 2021 to March this year we had a programme that was aligned to the UNESCO City of Music Programme. That has now been completed and it can be set up to realise a notice of motion to celebrate the city’s frontline workers, in terms of their contribution in that Covid period.
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“That will include a celebratory event at 2 Royal Avenue, an exhibition toured at locations across the city, including a documentary capturing life through the pandemic, and an album of music recordings. There will also be a formal event recognising communities at the Waterfront Hall.”
The council report says: “Council officers have been working in partnership with BBC NI on this project. Music has played an important part in people overcoming the challenges of COVID-19 and creatively it is the ideal artform to signal the city’s ongoing recovery.
“This also celebrates Belfast's achievement in becoming a UNESCO City of Music in November 2021. The official Freedom of the City ceremony will take place as part of this music event commemorating this unique project.
“This main stage event will include profiled acts, breakthrough artists, the Ulster Orchestra and live performance of the songs produced with the participants of the musician in residence programme. There will also be involvement from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust choir.
“The concept for the evening is to focus on songs that have a particular meaning to the city and are associated with the city’s Covid response. These songs will form a Belfast Mixtape and have been selected by frontline workers and community participants.”
The full artist line-up for the event is being finalised and will be releasedsoon. The Waterfront Hall concert will be broadcast by the BBC.
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