In a year that has seen wars raging, the news cycle leaves little to raise hopes of unity, trust and empathy. Acts of violence committed in the name of – or against – communities and cultures are on the raise, fuelled by increasingly divisive political rhetoric. How vital, then, to unite and raise our voices in an art form that is shared the world over, and to use this platform to celebrate the rich tapestry of humanity and build bridges across divides.

Building Bridges is a poetry anthology that seeks to provide a platform for stories and voices that have been marginalised, and to celebrate the great diversity and rich variation in the identities and communities of people from around the world and from a huge cross-section of walks of life.