PRONI at the Belfast Mela

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The Belfast Mela is one of Northern Ireland’s largest arts festivals which celebrate the city’s proud diversity and provides an inclusive space for all communities to express their cultural identity. The Belfast Mela uses a love of art, food, music, and dance to bring communities together, connecting, sharing, and exploring the different cultures in Belfast. PRONI was delighted to take part in the 20th anniversary of the Belfast Mela on Sunday the 30th of August, with a stall set up by the World Stage!

Two women with dark hair sitting behind a table covered with a navy tablecloth that reads 'PRONI Public Record Office of Northern Ireland' - To the left-hand side of the table is a colourful pop-up banner that reads 'Welcome to PRONI'

PRONI welcomed the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland’s cultural heritage at the Mela, engaging with audiences to inform them about the diverse collections that the archives hold. Our aim was to provide a space where visitors could learn more about the archives, explore the wide range of services available, ask any questions, and engage with PRONI as an inclusive archive for all.

Image of a stage set up in a park. On the stage are a group of dancers dressed in orange and yellow dresses. All of the dancers are holding a red fan in the air with their right arms
Dancers on the World Stage at the Belfast Mela
A woman dressed as a fairy with a blue outfit and hair sits on top of a float decorated as a large blue elephant. She is waving to the crowd and there are bubbles floating around her. In front of the elephant are two individuals playing large barrel drums

To engage visitors, we brought a variety of resources designed to inform and inspire. These included a selection of stickers featuring images from our archival collections, showcasing the range and diversity of records held at PRONI; a selection of informational leaflets highlighting PRONI and the services we provide; our newly published Guide to Sporting Records at PRONI; and archive-themed word searches designed to educate and engage younger audiences with the world of archives.

A toy teddy bear wearing glasses and a staff lanyard holds a sign that reads 'PRONI Public Record Office of Northern Ireland'. In the background, there is a large float from the parade, decorated as a blue cake with candles that read '20' on top.
PRONI mascot, Archie Archive at the Belfast Mela

Zoe Harkness, a member of our Public Services team, said:

The Belfast Mela is a great opportunity for all communities to express and share their cultural identity. As an archive for all, the Belfast Mela is a great opportunity for PRONI to engage with audiences and promote the diverse range of our collections whilst also encouraging more people to deposit their records with us.

PRONI would like to thank ArtsEkta for the opportunity to exhibit and for all the work which it does to transform communities, create shared experiences and celebrate diversity.