🎭 Keynote Speaker Announcement – Glasgow World Community Development Conference 2026
We are delighted to welcome Dr Pinar Aksu as a keynote contributor to the Glasgow World Community Development Conference 2026.
Dr Aksu is a researcher at the University of Glasgow, a theatre maker, and a dedicated human rights campaigner. Her work sits at the powerful intersection of art, justice, and activism. Currently a Research Associate on the Sustainable Designs for Living and Learning (SDLL) project, she focuses on embedding multilingualism into learning for sustainability.
Her doctoral research, Art and Law in Migration: using art practices for social change and access to justice, reflects her commitment to exploring how creative practice can challenge injustice and open pathways to equity. Dr Aksu’s work is grounded in building solidarity and fostering welcoming communities through dialogue, empathy, and shared understanding.
As an activist-scholar, she has contributed to impactful campaigns including Our Grades Not Visas, Right to Vote, and Lift the Ban – Right to Work, and continues her advocacy with Refugees for Justice.
🎤 Conference Contribution
Cycle of Migration
A performance blending theatre, lived experience, and policymaking
Dr Aksu brings an innovative and deeply engaging contribution to the conference through Cycle of Migration—a legislative theatre performance that merges storytelling, lived experience, and participatory policymaking.
Following the journeys of Sara and Carlos, the performance invites audiences to step beyond observation and become active participants, engaging directly with the realities faced by those navigating immigration systems. Will they be welcomed?
Developed from Dr Aksu’s research, this thought-provoking piece transforms theatre into a space for dialogue, reflection, and action—challenging audiences to consider their role in shaping more just and inclusive policies.
Performed by a collective of theatre makers and community members—Emily, Fatma, Herberth, Liz, Suzanne, and Tesfaye—Cycle of Migration exemplifies the power of collaboration, creativity, and community voice.