Discover the forgotten history of Manchester's Syrian textile traders.

Join us at the Rethink Rebuild Society for a special screening of “The Textile Generation”, a one-hour documentary bringing to the screen the forgotten history of Syrian textile traders in Manchester.

Directed by British-Syrian filmmaker Haya Altamimi and co-produced by Dr. Ann-Christin Zuntz (University of Edinburgh) and Dr. Alessandro Columbu (University of Westminster), the film explores the deep historical roots of what is now the UK’s second-biggest Syrian community.

About the Documentary:

Between the late 19th century and the mid-20th century, Jewish and Muslim Syrian merchants settled in "Cottonopolis", then the global hub of textile production and trade. Besides their significant economic contributions to the city, they established two of its leading religious institutions. More recently, their descendants provided crucial humanitarian assistance to refugees during the Syrian conflict (2011-2024).

The film features intimate interviews with merchant families and exclusive footage from local institutions co-founded by Syrians, including the Jewish Museum and Didsbury Mosque.

Planned Agenda

[7:00 PM] – Doors Open & Arrival

[7:20 PM] – Welcome & Introduction

[7:30 PM] – Screening of "The Textile Generation"

[8:30 PM] – Q&A / Group Discussion (Optional)

[9:00 PM] – Event Concludes

Description supplied by the event organiser.