Lancaster commemorates murdered British journalist's legacy with exhibition and international cabaret fundraiser

British environmental journalist Dom Phillips and Brazilian indigenous expert Bruno Pereira were murdered in Brazilian Amazonia in June 2022 while Dom was doing research for a book about the challenges faced by the Amazon and how to solve them.

Fiona Frank, who lives at Lancaster Cohousing in Halton near Lancaster and is a friend of Dom’s sister, Lancaster musician Sian Phillips said:

“Sian’s speech at her brother’s funeral was broadcast to 128 countries. She said the family would not let Dom’s story be silenced: and I vowed to help the family tell that story. Back in 2022 I helped to produce an exhibition and a festival about the Amazon, to honour Dom and Bruno and the many others who have lost their lives protecting the Amazon.”

This exhibition, ‘For Dom, Bruno and the Amazon’, has toured nationally for the last two years. It has now been updated to reflect political changes in Brazil and to accompany the publication of Dom’s book and the launch by his widow of the Dom Phillips Institute to take forward Dom’s legacy of providing a voice for rainforest defenders.

The updated exhibition goes on show at Halton Mill on 23 July.

The hardhitting, information-rich exhibition – with striking photographs throughout its 15 panels – exposes the dangers that the rainforest and its inhabitants are facing from deforestation, and from illegal mining and fishing. It also showcases some hopeful solutions and reminds us that there are many actions that we ourselves in the global North can take to help to protect the Amazon.

An opening event for the exhibition includes a researcher visiting from Brazil, speaking on “Indigenous peoples in Brazil: defending territories and traditions”, and another speaker from Lancaster University Environment Centre speaking about LEC’s involvement in an international network of scientists who share their research to strengthen sustainability in the Amazon region. There’ll also be Afro-Brazilian dancing!

Free, all welcome, please book at trybooking.co.uk/FBKT

Musical Journeys ‘25

The opening event for the exhibition is also the last day of a crowdfunder that Fiona is running for an ambitious transatlantic cabaret which is raising funds for the Dom Phillips Institute and two music projects in the Amazon, as well as providing payment for the performers.

Back in November 2023, Fiona set off on a year-long trip around the Americas – partly moved by wanting to find out more about the story of Dom and Bruno. As well as meeting people involved in Indigenous rights, she also had her melodeon and her concertina with her, and sought out musicians to play with everywhere she went.

Musical Journeys '25, the ‘Fiona’s Travels’ edition is planned to take place on 4 October featuring some of the world-renowned musicians and dancers Fiona met while travelling across the Americas. It will be be broadcast worldwide on Zoom, and will also be beamed to an in-person event at Halton Mill near Lancaster, where there’ll be a big screen, excellent sound, and local performers Capoeira Angola Ogum and Batala Lancaster plus Brazilian food and Brazilian art to add to the atmosphere.

Performers confirmed so far include Cacuriá Rosa de Balaio dancers from São Luís, Brazil, Mary Beth Carty (Nova Scotia) – Canadian Folk Singer of the Year 2024, and Carmen Guérard (Montreal) – virtuoso Québécois melodeon.

Fiona said: "Dom’s book How to Save the Amazon, a journalist's deadly quest for answers was launched at a sell-out event last month in Lancaster. When I met his widow, Alessandra Sampaio, in Brazil – and again at the book launch – I resolved to try to raise funds for the Dom Phillips Institute. And as a musician who’s been organising events for many years, I’m doing it in the best way that I know how. I’m very pleased to also be able to include two fascinating music projects I came across when I was travelling in Amazonia. But none of this will happen unless the crowdfunder succeeds by its closing date of 24 July!”

• Find Fiona’s crowdfunding campaign, which runs to 24th July, at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/musicaljourneys25.

--------