Wales: A Home from Home

in 360°video, Heritage Lottery Fund, Metaquest, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Oral History, Participation and Interpretation Officer, Recording Oral History, UnTold Stories of Global Welsh Heritage, workshop on

Wales: A Home from Home* – Exhibition

Over the past 16 months, we have engaged with communities from across Wales in a multimedia project that highlights the country’s rich cultural diversity.

We have spoken with people whose ancestors walked to Wales from Italy in the 1920s, Yemeni families who lost loved ones while supporting the D-Day landings, and Iraqi Kurds who settled here in the 1970s. We’ve met Sikh doctors who arrived in the ’70s and Hindus who came from India via Kenya. More recent arrivals include Syrians fleeing the devastation of war, Ukrainians families forced to leave everything after the Russion invasion, and Hong Kongers seeking refuge as their freedom of speech was curtailed.

Laz Lazarou, of the hairdressing chain, Lazarou, in his Caerphilly shop. Laz and his family emigrated to Wales from Cyprus in the 1960’s. They remain an important pillar in the Greek-Cypriot community.

All of these individuals call Wales “home,” and they have remarkable stories to share. For them, Wales is a “Nation of Sanctuary,” providing a safe place for their families.

We have recorded and collected oral histories, portraits, archives, videos, 3D models and immersive 360° video.

These powerful stories have been shared in primary schools, additional learning needs environments, and community groups. Workshops have combined traditional arts with cutting-edge digital technology, including virtual reality.

Immersive Video has been gathered from cultural events and places across Wales©Vision Fountain

The digital “assets” will form the “Wales: A Home from Home” exhibition along with artwork created by young learners.

Some of the Primary and Addition Learning Needs schools contributed artwork with artists Graig and Adele Lewis. ©Vision Fountain

The exhibition will be held at Senedd Wales from May 24th to July 12, 2025. It presents these collected stories through a blend of traditional storytelling and innovative technologies, including virtual reality.

While the exhibition celebrates our diverse culture and moments of joy, it also explores painful memories—stories of trauma, displacement, and the challenges of building a new life in an unfamiliar place.

By weaving together these voices and images, the exhibition illustrates why Wales has long been a nation of sanctuary and how its welcoming spirit continues to shape the lives of people from around the world.

Home from Home has been produced by Vision Fountain with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

(Working title: Untold Stories of Welsh Global Heritage)