Far from My Bed
Since 2020, the world has witnessed a steady rise in armed conflicts and political violence, with nearly one in seven people directly affected between July 2023 and July 2024, according to ACLED. While many of these crises may seem distant or disconnected from our daily lives, their impact is deeply human and global.
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Far from My Bed is a musical storytelling series that explores the side effects of conflict worldwide. Inspired by the Dutch expression “far from my bed show,” the project challenges the emotional distance many feel toward humanitarian emergencies that unfold beyond their immediate experience. Through music, film, and personal narratives, the series invites us to reflect: Can art awaken empathy for stories that seem far away, yet shape our shared world?
When distance is an illusion: stories of conflict and displacement
Far from My Bed integrates storytelling and musical performance to spotlight the lives of children and adults displaced by war. From within what may seem like faraway crises, it reveals stories of resilience, loss, and survival that speak to a universal human condition.
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Led by carillonist Esther Schopman, with music by composer Kia Kalhori and visuals by filmmaker and Ud player Azarnoush Khoddami, the project uses art as a mirror, to reflect not only the tragedies of conflict, but also our responsibility to remain aware and compassionate.
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This work reminds us that no matter how far a crisis may seem, it exists in the same world we share. And through artistic empathy, we might begin to feel, connect, and respond.