Only Voice Remains: Making Collective Prophecies

On December 13 Only Voice Remains hosted an incredibly powerful evening of sonic protest, collective listening and togetherness at Second Home Spitalfields.

Only Voice Remains is a womxn-led Iranian collective operating with transnational queer and feminist values.

In response to the current events and protests happening across Iran and Kurdistan, they are building an archive of sound material including voice notes from friends and family inside Iran, protest sound recordings as well as artistic responses such as poems and songs.

Their mission is to organise sonic protests that transcend physical borders, connecting activists across the world, to help build a mutual narrative and strategy of resistance.

Event Details

We came together for a collective listening session to hear the compilation of sound material by Only Voice Remains. Whilst listening, the audience was invited to respond through a workshop of writing and creating.

It was a safe space for reflection, expression and communication. After the listening session there was time for everyone to process through music, food and togetherness. 

A selection of vinyl records was played by Syrian Cassette Archives – an initiative to preserve, share and research sounds and stories from Syria’s abundant cassette era (1970s-2000s).

There was food from Mana’s Plant based Persian Cuisine. Mana recognises that food goes beyond merely sustenance. It is first and foremost an expression of love, of warmth, of hospitality, of community, and a celebration of their rich cultural heritage. Vegan chef Mana is dedicated to using food as a tool to bring people together and create create space for meaningful conversations

Food Menu

Ash-e-Reshteh – 5.00

Traditional hearty noodle soup with fresh herbs, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils & mint oil.

Ghormeh Sabzi – 8.00

Parsley, coriander, chive & fenugreek stew, plant-based ‘chicken’, red kidney beans, infused with black limes. Served with rice and shirazi salad.

The aims of Only Voice Remain are

1. To archive what is happening under the Islamic Republic of Iran and prevent the erasure of feminist, queer, religious and ethnic marginalised narratives.
2. To build networks of solidarity and critical dialogue around gender and ethnic struggles.
3. To emphasise the intersectionality of the moment for freedom and the networks of oppression that uphold each other across the region.
4. To create ground for further action through collective reflection and discussion.

How can we seize the potentials of this moment, at a time when we can have conversations that once seemed unreachable, and process shared uncertainties regarding the future?

This event was a safe space by & for members of BIPOC and LGBTQ communities but open to all.

The event was audio recorded and archived by Only Voice Remains.