We are delighted to share the film of the region’s children and young people singing this year’s song, as part of Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages. 5,694 children and young people from 56 North East schools took part. They celebrated the region’s diverse languages and culture together in joyous multilingual renditions of ‘Love is the only river’.
Translations in 20 languages (including British Sign Language) provided by community and University partners and musical arrangements from Newcastle Music Service were provided to registered schools.
21 schools sent in videos of their performances, which were combined by Newcastle Music Service to produce the regional multilingual version of the song.
The festival song fosters inclusiveness and allows children and young people from diverse communities across the North East to connect with the lyrics and emotions more deeply. The different translations broaden the song’s reach for our multicultural region, inviting participants from various cultural backgrounds to feel a shared connection to the music. It showcases the festival’s cultural respect and celebration, enhancing the global appeal.
Georgina Biddle, Newcastle Music Service (North East Music Hub), who oversees the ever-popular Festival Song project.
Once again, children and young people from schools across the North East have delivered beautiful renditions of the Festival Song. It is so moving to see so many singing, signing and playing the song.
The Festival is all about children and young people being able to express themselves in the languages they speak at home, learn at school or are interested in, bringing people together and foster inclusivity and harmony. This song is a wonderful example of this. We are so grateful to everyone who took part and to all those who helped in preparing all the resources for the song this year.
Declan Baharini, Chief Executive Officer of International Newcastle and Festival Coordinator
Acknowledgements
- Thank you to all 56 schools, the teachers and pupils who took part in the Festival Song project this year and those who submitted their pupils’ performances to be part of our regional compilation video for 2026.
- A huge thank you to Gareth Miller and Georgina Biddle at Music Partnership North Newcastle, for leading this project and supporting the schools’ engagement. The Festival Song would not be possible without them. Special additional thanks to Gareth for putting the regional compilation of performances together.
- Thank you to all the community members, staff and students at universities and people from partner organisations across the region, nationally and internationally for helping to check the translations of the song in 20 different languages and for providing recordings of these to help schools learn the song in many languages.
The Festival is part-funded by the North East Mayoral Strategic Partnership
