Digital technology touches every aspect of our lives; the refugee crisis is no exception. Social media is central to mobilising people-led democratic movements and as a tool of survival for people displaced. As our world becomes increasingly shaped by digital communication, transaction and innovation, national boundaries are both more easily transcended online and more heavily guarded in the real world. Refugees who find themselves with nothing but a mobile phone live at the sharpest end of what has been described as ‘the transition from the analogue to the digital world’. The discussion will be chaired by Julia Farrington, who works with Index on Censorship and Belarus Free Theatre. Speakers include: Hassan Akkad, a 28 year old photographer from Damascus, Syria; Jenny Imhoff, a volunteer with Prosper Community where she is project manager for the Prosper platform, a searchable database of refugee related initiatives across Europe; and Rohan Jayasekera, a journalist, producing digital media research and development projects for Vivarta, a London based news media lab and creative advocacy group with a focus on freedom of expression rights. This discussion takes in the life-saving technologies adapted for refugees and the way social and political attitudes and cultural production are responding to a digital context. The talk is followed by music from The Calais Sessions, performed live in London and via live-stream from Calais. The project started when a group of international musicians went to find collaborators in the Calais camp. Within 48 hours, they recorded a song written by Moheddin, a tailor and singer from Syria with an extraordinary voice. Recorded in a makeshift studio set up on site, The Calais Sessions is an eclectic reflection of the diverse culture that thrives in the ‘jungle’ with tracks that range from raw Syrian folk song to a nectar-sweet Ethiopian gospel lullaby. The album is now on sale. Proceeds go to Citizens UK and the refugee musicians on the album. Over 12s only. Runtime: 6pm-8:30pm. This event is free and entry is on a first come first served basis, so it can't be guaranteed. We need your card details to store the event information in "My Tickets", but rest assured, we won't charge you a penny.