Fighting To Be Heard: Calligraphy, Courage and Community
This pack explores surprising connections between the ancient art of calligraphy and the noble art of boxing through the stories of three British South Asian Muslim men living in Bradford today. Learners will hear about acclaimed calligrapher Razwan Ul-Haq, world champion boxer Tasif Khan, and Nissar Hussain, head coach at Tasif Khan Community Boxing Academy. Their stories were central to Fighting to Be Heard, a British Library co-production with Bradford District Museums and Galleries as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.
The pack includes creative, hands-on activities that bring these stories to life in classrooms and other learning settings. Learners can explore Razwan Ul-Haq’s calligraphy through a variety of imaginative, practical exercises.
It also features Razwan’s original artwork for the exhibition, Writing To Be Heard, and offers the chance to view a 360° virtual tour of the exhibition and watch a short film about the making of the exhibition and project. Activities are flexible and can be adapted for individuals, pairs, or whole-class participation.
- Recommended for: Ages 9-14 (Upper Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3 Learners)
- Includes: Discussion Prompts / Mindfulness / Art / Writing Activities
- Links to: RE / English / Art / PSHE / History
Read our interview with Razwan Ul-Haq
We spoke to artist Razwan Ul-Haq to explore why movement matters in both art and life.
Pack content at a glance
- Story – Discover hidden stories from Bradford’s communities
- Investigate – Prompts and questions to spark discussion, reflection, writing, worksheets, or other follow-up activities after hearing the story.
- Get Inspired – An artwork that helps learners connect with the historical context and themes.
- Learn and Create – Creative activity ideas inspired by the story and artwork, encouraging imaginative responses.
- Dig Deeper – Suggestions for extension activities, further exploration, and links to additional resources.
