STARRING ROLE FOR OUR BEACH
FACES OF THE FALLEN TO BE ETCHED IN SAND AT ROKER IN DANNY BOYLE REMEMBRANCE DAY PROJECT
Director Danny Boyle will be at the helm of a national Armistice Day project, in which Roker Beach will play a starring role.
Sunderland has been chosen as one of only a handful of cities and towns to take part in Pages of the Sea, Danny Boyle’s commission for 14-18 NOW to mark the centenary of Armistice Day.
The Beach and Trainspotting director, who also produced the London Olympics spectacular opening ceremony, has teamed up with Sunderland Culture for Wearside’s role in the national act of remembrance – and they want you to get involved too.
On November 11 2018, the public is invited to gather on Roker Beach as part of an informal, nationwide gesture of remembrance for the men and women who left their home shores during the First World War.
Each event involves the drawing of a large-scale portrait of a casualty from the First World War, designed by sand artists Sand In Your Eye, which will be washed away as the tide comes in.
In addition, the public will be asked to join in by creating silhouettes of people in the sand, remembering the millions of lives lost or changed forever by the conflict.
Poet Carol Ann Duffy has been invited by Danny to write a new poem, which will be read by individuals, families and communities as they gather on beaches on November 11. Copies of the poem will be available at the beaches around the UK for those who wish to come together or to offer their own personal contribution.
Danny Boy le said :“Beaches are truly public spaces, where nobody rules other than the tide. They seem the perfect place to gather and say a final goodbye and thank you to those whose lives were taken or forever changed by the First World War. I’ m inviting people to watch as the face soft he fallen are etched in the sand, and for communities to come together to remember the sacrifices that were made.”
Keith Merrin, chief executive of Sunderland Culture, said: “We’ll be unveiling more details of the event and how people can get involved in the project over the coming days and weeks.”