Lunchtime Talks are a series of informal presentations at Watershed's Pervasive Media Studio. They normally take place at 13:00 on a Friday, are free and are open to everybody who is interested in what they do. Come along, bring a sandwich, and get to know more about the Studio community, current and up-coming projects, or residents' work.

In this week's talk, Miriam Gosling from Congo Calling talks about the human rights implications of generating the raw materials used in our mobile phones, tablets and games consoles in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

In 2012 at TEDxExeter, social justice activist Bandi Mbubi called for the development of fair trade technology which uses ethically-sourced, conflict-free minerals from the DRC. Miriam will introduce us to Congo Calling, a programme designed to draw attention to atrocities being committed in the DRC, and to start the conversation about a peaceful resolution to the ongoing war fuelled by the conflict caused by mining minerals. Congo Calling's vision is for a peaceful and just Congo, where people can live in stable and prosperous communities, where children are not enlisted, where women are not raped as an instrument of war, and where miners work for fair wages in human conditions.

Miriam Gosling trained as a Stage Manager following graduation from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Having had a career on large-scale commercial tours she decided she wanted to dedicate her time to helping those in need and so made the change from theatre to charity work in 2013. She currently works for The Invisible Circus in Bristol and as Programme Coordinator for Congo Calling, a small UK based NGO. Miriam is a Trustee for FUN Club and a member of the TEDx Exeter team.

The Pervasive Media Studio is located within the Watershed building. Let us know if you'd like a tour and we'll be happy to show you around. Send an email to admin@pmstudio.co.uk

---