BIRMINGHAM, England, Oct. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As the 16^th official Queen's Baton Relay – an epic journey visiting 72 Commonwealth countries in 294 days – departed Birmingham Airport, UK, earlier today, citizens of the Commonwealth were invited to contribute to a unique cultural collaboration.

'The Relaytionship', an unfinished poem by spoken word artist Amerah Saleh, invites individuals from every corner of the Commonwealth to contribute their voices, words and images to a piece of 'hyper hybrid art' inspired by the home of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the West Midlands.

As the birthplace of Shakespeare, the Industrial Revolution and the Peaky Blinders, the West Midlands has been a home for arts and culture to flourish for centuries. 'The Relaytionship' aims to celebrate the incredible wealth of cultural innovation the region has brought to the world and embody how diverse cultures and communities can come together to create something entirely new and unique.

"The Commonwealth Games is a time for people to connect and to share stories across countries and communities." said artist Amerah Saleh. "There is no better region to embody that global connection than the West Midlands.

"As one of the youngest and most diverse regions in the world, we're a place where many cultures come together to collaborate, to innovate and to create. It is this distinctive spirit of the West Midlands that we wanted to celebrate through The Relaytionship."

Councillor Patrick Harley, Portfolio Lead for Culture & Digital for the West Midlands Combined Authority, commented:

"Making connections with audiences across the globe is incredibly important as the West Midlands gears up for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Working with the region's thriving arts scene can help us to reach people across any border. The West Midlands is an incredibly popular destination for overseas visitors, particularly Australia, India and Canada. Pre-pandemic, the region attracted more than 2 million international visits every year. We want to remind them, that we are thinking of them, and are ready to welcome them back to the West Midlands as soon as we can."

What does 'home' mean to you?

What does 'incredible' mean to you?

Communities around the Commonwealth are being asked to contribute words and images which reflect their answers to these questions.

'The Relaytionship' launched today and continues around the Commonwealth for 294 days. For more information or to contribute your words visit www.makeitwm.com/relaytionship^[1].

Spoken word artist, Amerah Saleh with the Queen’s Baton at Birmingham Airport to launch ‘The Relaytionship’, an ‘unfinished’ poem which people are invited to contribute their own words to, coinciding with the launch of the Queen’s Baton Relay ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. Photo credit should read: Fabio De Paola/PA Wire

References

1. ^{^} www.makeitwm.com/relaytionship (www.makeitwm.com)