Hello, this is bbc news. The headlines. The queen has welcomed the us president Joe Biden at windsor castle. The G7 Summit concludes with Member States agreeing to deliver more than A Billion coronavirus vaccinations to poorer countries and raise A Hundred Billion dolLars to help them cut carbon emissions. But there is also being a continuing row over the Land'>Northern IreLand protocol. Doctors confirm denmarks Christian Eriksen suffered a Cardiac Arrest during a match at the European Championship. And a Sterling Effort from engLand as they beat Croatia I O in their Opening Game of the European Championship at wembley. Well be back at the top of the hour with more news. Now on bbc news, were in coventry as the citys streets are transformed into a giant stage and the celebrations finally begin for the covid deLayed year, as Uk City of culture 2021. Good morning, happy saturday this is rachel new. I hope youve had some caffeine in you already, because today is Going to be a very big day. The start of a Summer Weekend in coventry But this is no ordinary saturday. Today, the whole city will be become a giant stage, to mark the start of a big year. As the Uk City of culture. Stay with us all day, because were Going to make sure that you do not miss a moment of this. Cove ntry. Its been a long time coming. Coventry won the honour back in 2017. Cove ntry . Way before covid forced Artistic Directorjustine Themen to change all her pLans. You see the track . Its down here. Because we cant be bringing audiences together in Large numbers, or even participants, we have had to think very differently. For a start, what is about to take pLace on these streets has had to be kept a complete secret. Theres one of you that isnt. To avoid Large crowds gathering to watch, with surprise events cropping up in neighbourhoods across the whole city. We thought, if People Cant come in to us, we will Go out to them. It may be that theyve popped out for a bit of shopping and they encounter something running past them through the city centre. It might be that something turns up on their street. This cultural cocktail is also streaming online and Social Media for people to enjoy at home. Weve created an event that runs from almost dawn to dusk and is animating the entire city. 0h. High rise above. Life falls below. River flow. Its eight oclock, and the city of Culture Celebrations begin, live on a bridge in a part of town known as spon end. With a smattering of early birds treated to a Dawn Chorus featuring pauline bLack, lead singer of the Ska Revival Band the selecter. Coventry through and through. River flows. Ive lived in coventry for very, very many years, and to even be in a city that is Coventry City Of Culture was Good, But to be asked to perform at the opening ceremony, Ijust Thought was, wow that was fantastic, it was brilliant, and to have it in spon end, it was brilliant, as well. The colours lovely, and im gLad it stayed dry for them, not pouring down with rain action. And bringing the hands up, just opening them out. Bringing one out in front. Im singing The River song, i am The River, as you can see, with all this wonderful Kind Of Blue Make Up and all this flowing veil. Because there is a river that runs underneath the city. And, of course, Thats Kind of the life spring, the well of everything, that was the reason why they settled, because there was a river. Its like miss haversham i know this area and i know the people round here, or some of the people round here, and to have them actually contriBute the lyrics, Ijust Thought, wow, thats wonderful. One of those local lyricists is mark gibbins, better known as gibbo. Ive lived in spon end, now, for about. I think over 35 years, it is. You know, it gets a bit of a bad rap, people believe all the hype that they hear about it, you know, But you come round here at night and its quiet, you can hear a pin drop. The river sherbourne, it flows right past my house, All The Way around, Meanders Windingly through the estate, comes right past the Community Centre. You know, if there werent a Brick Wall there, i could throw a stone in it from here, you know . Its at the Community Centre that gibbo runs a mens mental health support group. Its a pLace where men can come along and speak freely about whatever issues affecting them at that time in their life. And to help him come up with some Good lyrics, gibbo turned to one of the group. Yeah, so the bit there. Weve dropped it about. A sentence or two two sentences. Tommy is an actual client we did a brain storming session, so we came up with loads of words, some actual lines i mean, tommy was flowing with poetry. He was freestyling, like, you know. He was really Good. Mist begins, turns to Haze L as recognition of the past. I struggled a bit, But i Got a few potential Good bits out that i think were Good, you know. Has taken my tree away. Thats lovely, that is. Its nice, i like that. Thats Good for me, innit . Its very Good. You did another Good one, as well. Its just nice to have the opportunity to actually speak about the area that i live in and to highlight spon end, you know, and what a great area it is to me. Inspired by pauline� s song, a group of young people follow the course of The River as it flows underneath the city. Of course, most towns and cities were built up by a river, But, in coventry, that river was covered over in the city centre, so you might say to people, oh, yeah, theres a river that runs through coventry, a lot of people would say theyve never seen one. So, a group of young people follow thatjourney of The River, having encountered Pauline Singing her song on the bridge. Starring in a film of The River runners journey, two dancers, childhood Friends Nancy and louis. Good bro see what youre missing . So, we met at school. It was the induction day, so we were in year six, maybe 10, 11 years old at this point. Yeah. By The End of the day, i asked her to be my girlfriend. My reply was, ill tell you in septembah, i literally said it like that, septembah she walked out of the gate and looked over her shoulder so majestically, and then i had to wait a whole summer to find out the answer and it was worth it because i Got a yes. I grew up born and bred in coventry, the city of vilLains, you know yeah, and ijust knew that i wanted more, and whatever it was, i knew there was a greater calling, and there was a purpose for me out there, and i had come across dancing on the Tv I didnt even know, i wasnt exposed to these kind of things, it wasnt. Not that it wasnt acceptable, But it was so unconventional, it was so far away from me, you know . Some people put coventry down, and i think you have to leave it. To really appreciate the resilience of the city and how strong we all are and how diverse everyone is, and how, just, we are a community. On their way into the city centre, The River runners encounter six exotically dressed energies, making up the spirit of the city all well known coventry faces, like paralympian sprinter kare adenegan. Im the energy of resilience, and coventry has a great history of resilience linked to the blitz, so its a great way to celebrate that, and also embody that. Kare and her fellow energies offer up poetic pearls of wisdom. When you feel like stopping, know that your city persisted. When you feel alone, know that those who have come before you are cheering you on. They walked so you can run, and you will run so that those after you will be able to fly. Another of the energies is the Artist And Model daniel lismore, embodying the spirit of innovation. I grew up in a small vilLage called fillongley. Its just on the border of coventry, and all my family are in coventry. I went to school in coventry, as well, and this is kind of where i grew up. Its been amazing, actually you know, my life is so crazy, and ive been travelling the world constantly, and all of a sudden im back with my mum. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine a pLace where creation is constant, where theres Courage And Space to transcend and to test. I think compared to 18 years aGo, its been very different, people have been very positive. I rememberjust outside there, i was bullied at the Bus Stop for being, you know, queer, all the time. And now i canjust happily walk across the city without you know, a few smiles, a few gLares, But. we need to start appreciating Each Other, and i hope the city of culture does that. Its time that we kind of accept Each Other cos were all here. Meanwhile, somewhere in the suburbs, people and horses are gathering. Modern Lady'>Day Lady Godivas are preparing to ride into town from the four corners of the city. We have 1a women who do extraordinary things across the city, making change within the city with some of the citys most disadvantaged communities. People who are really active, particuLarly during the pandemic. The original Lady-Godiva'>Lady Godiva rode naked through The Streets of 11th Century Coventry in protest at high taxes for the townsfolk. Todays 21st century equivalents are more modestly dressed, and most have had to learn how to ride a horse. Reena, a Teaching Assistant who has also founded her own theatre company, is one of them. Here we Go, reena. Heres del boy, or deLaware. Im the kind of person that would probably ride on a horse naked if it was to fight social Injustice And Kind of protest in a creative way, like Lady-Godiva'>Lady Godiva, so i think that is probably why i was nominated and selected. I come from a community that are considered to be the lowest of the low, were very downtrodden. Were the untouchables of india, were seen as sub human, and those kind of ideas and ideologies carried on here in the uk and, you know, Caste Discrimination is still an issue. That is where my activism started. Just enjoy it where you can, i and try not to be as panicked and as scared as you might look try and flip the switch. I thought i had Horse Riding Experience But, no, what i rode about 13 years aGo was a donkey, im sure it was i am excited, But im a bit nervous, too, because, you know, riding a horse, on The Streets, in procession. A lot of these Ladies have never sat on a horse before. Theyve not even sat on a donkey on bLackpool beach, so to get them on a real horse that is moving in a Parade Environment with drummers and trumpets and fLags and people, its Going to be a challenge. So, this is toby. He is. Well, hes been my mate since the start, ive been on him every time. I think we are very well matched. When i first saw him, i was like, oh, he looks a bit slower, so i was like, please give me that one. So, yeah, Good mates now. I feel really honoured to be involved in city of culture, i really do feel really privileged, and yeah, im so excited del boy, ive Got some apples for you, nice Granny Smiths as the Godivas make ready, The Streets reverberate to a different sound. Engine revs. Cars all of them, at one time or another, made in coventry. The motorcade stops at various through the city. Out leap dancers irish. Caribbean. Bollywood. Each Routine A triBute to the different migrant communities that came to coventry to help rebuild after the destruction of the war. I think everyone on The Street really needed that, after the past 18 months and just to have that happen on our street has cheered everyone up, and, yeah, love it. Ive lived on The Street all of my life, my parents live just six doors up, and weve never seen anything like that. Its always been a friendly, multicultural street, But that was just brilliant, thatjust brought everybody together. The irish settled first, and brought with them their love of dance. Two of the Motorcade Performers are sisters 17 year old grace and 14 year old molly. Weve Got a very irish background, and most of our family is irish and our mum also irish danced at the same school that we dance at as well, so it was just inevitable that we were Going to dance, really, and just carry on the tradition in the family. I pLaced second at the World Championships and in the top five in all major competitions. I won the american nationals twice, i won the scottish nationals, the all scotLands, the great britains, and yeah, ive been very successful big jumps, Good girl. Their Rehearsal Studio is tucked in behind the old standard Triumph Club a social hub once surrounded by Production Lines churning out cars with household names. A reminder of an industry that once employed generations of coventry workers. Our grandparents came over to work in the Building Industry over 50 years aGo, and one of the things they were involved in building was the ring road, and they set their roots here, they built their family here, and our whole Family Hasjust been thriving in coventry ever since. Can ijust see you pointing at the person that youre Going to have a connection with . During rehearsals, the sisters find themselves sharing their skills with their fellow dancers. We do our irish dancing, then we also, theres bhangra dancing, ska dancing, and then also theres a mashup at The End where we get to learn parts of their dancing, which has been really fun. Its like walking, for us we just find it, because weve been doing it for so long. Doing the steps, being taught the steps without the music is like, oh, yeah, i can do this. And then the Music Comesl on and you realise how fast it is and that itsjust, arm, i suppose if youve trained for years and years, its easy, But. She Laughs. | think that if i l dont have to do it to the music, its fine. And if they accept that mine i wont be in time to the music it will be perfectly fine and then actually having to Go back to the basics and teach, like, from the very first steps, you could see the challenge on their face. It was very difficult, But i think if i did it in slow motion, i will always get it. But in the full time that she did it, it was just great to watch her. So, that was. Yeah. I think being a part of the city of culture is an amazing opportunity, and to be part of something thats Going to be so worldwide and hopefully that will Go down in history as something that was amazing, to be a part of that is something that hopefully i can show my family in the Future And Theyll be proud of me. Reena and her fellow Godivas are now on their way into the city centre, on their mission to deliver their manifesto to the citys politicians. Im Going to be feeling so proud and i hope that i represent all the voices of everybody in coventry, notjust women absolutely everybody so im representing the whole city. On the opposite side of the city, The Streets are streaming with bikes and tricycles. Bicycle bell dings. Pedal power one of many life changing innovations that coventry can take credit for. The first pLace to mass produce a bicycle, so Thats Something that feels really important in terms of the citys democratic heritage. We produced bicycles that meant people all over the world could cycle from A To B in a much speedier way than if they were walking. On the roads and in the Air Inspiration is everywhere i it was really Good. You dont see that kind of thing here, ever. So it wasjust nice and refreshing to see something different and to not know it was coming. What did you think . Child mumbles. It was really Good he Laughs. Reena and her horse both reach their destination in one piece and these modern day Godivas present their Vision Of The Future to the citys political leaders. Living together in cultural understanding and embracing diversity. Remember the tree so deeply rooted. It spread. Pauline Lacks-day'>BLacks Day comes to an end in broadgate, underneath the ribboned canopy of Cofas Tree. Shelter from the Storm Shade from the sun. Words of hope, written on the ribbons by the people of coventry, their aspirations for the future of the city. Legend has it that Cofas Tree was a tree that was pLanted by a man called cofa, by the settlement, when it was first built up by The River, so that people from all around could see where the settlement was and come to it with ease, and Cofas Tree, over the years, apparently became coventry. The banners on the approaches are designed by local schoolchildren, reflecting the themes of todays event. Three of them daniel, frankie and cristian along with teacher nina, are from the coventry extended learning centre, a Pupil Referral Unit for children struggling in mainstream education. They helped design the banner on the theme of socialjustice. I drew a mouth to project why everyone should have the freedom of speech. A lot of our students have come here because they have been either manage moved or permanently excluded. Mainstream hasnt worked for them for whatever reason. For them to come here and be part of the Banner Creation is great pride for me, for them and for their parents, because theyve had such a difficult journey and just to be seen in a different light is really amazing. It makes us look like i we have a really great achievement in our lives, showing people that we can do a lot of great stuff. Thats our banner the third one down, socialjustice. The eyes of justice. Oh, its brilliant, doesnt that look great . Seeing their banner up for the first time a magic moment. I feel proud because ive actually worked on something that is actually Going to be put up and so loads of people can see it. I feel fantastic, brilliant, all of my hard work and time i put into that, yeah. Ijust want them to be seen as these amazing young people that they are. Im really happy the banner is up there because whenever i will take my friends outside, illjust show it to them Look What I Did like, are you proud of me . ours is the best, anyways high five 12 hours after it began, and this day of cultural celebration is reaching its climax. A musical moment designed to unite everyone across the city. Can we run it again . That would be lovely, please. Composer danjones is famous for making epic compositions using Ice Cream vans and hot air balloons. We strategized about how we were Going to deliver a piece of music that could reach all of coventry citizens in the space of seven or eight minutes. So, we came up with this idea of working with different Radio Stations so that each Radio Station had a Layer of music, and if people came together with all seven of those Radio Stations pLaying, they would hear the full composition. Its kind of in the model of cLapping for carers, people Going to their front door, Going out into their front garden, into The Street, and sensing that, you know, Communality Of Making in the Run Up to the premiere, some of the children who gave their voices for the composition get a sneak preview. We went into schools with a microphone and we did two things we interviewed them about the future, talking about the future, we also recorded them singing their own musical ideas, so rather than me telling them what to sing, i wanted them to tell me what to write. I then had the job of managing to weave together all those different musical lines, and so today was the first time theyve heard that, the fruits of their Labour. Ready . All three, two, one. Go music starts. In the future i want to be a famous singer. I wish that i could sing every day. In the future, i want to be a singer. I wish that i could sing my whole life. And maybe also a paramedic. In the future. Um, it was loud and i liked it and i really loved it. I heard myself and i said, i hope singing never Goes away. Its Good that people showed that people liked the community of the whole entire world. I was so proud of myself. I was smiling. Basically, the children of coventry are taking over all of coventrys independent Radio Stations, and hopefully itll spread into the beautiful suburbs. Time, then, for the people of coventry to come together in their musicalfinale. We are having a Street Party to end all street parties. The residents of Stanley Road determined to make their contriBution as loud as possible. Weve Got The Street decorated. We are celebrating, city of culture. Its Going to be really fascinating to see how all of the different streams come together and then work as one. Im really excited to see how thats Going to pLay. Like a symphony of radios i to create one piece of music. A bit anxious, But fingers crossed it is Going to sound amazing. Weve Got our own devices, were ready. We are coming out of covid, you know, we are embracing our community, we are embracing our city. Who cares if it doesnt sound Good . We are here, we are doing it at exactly 20 21, its time to close the show. When its quiet, i like to imagine that the wind swishes the leaves of the trees. I always hear the wind whistling. Like when you are trying to whistle, and you cant. ReLaxing music. When its peace and quiet, i like to hear reLaxing music. La La La, La. When its quiet, i like it because it is peaceful. And we just stood in the Middle Of The Road and we could hear all of the different pieces of music and, yeah, it made me feel really emotional. It made me feel massively proud that i am from coventry. I was like, yes, weve Got our pLace now on the map they all chat. It was like a soup. Of music, wasnt it . Some bits were a bit like. She hums Laughter echoes. You know, sometimes people or pLaces can get caught up in the past, But i think its really important to focus on the future, and i think coventry has Got loads of things that are happening in the pipelines. Music continues. In coventry, there will be parties every thursday night. There will be less. People getting sick. Do you know, in the future, there wont be a coronavirus in there. No more coronavirus. We all should hope that we all have happy lives in our country. AppLause and cheering. Child and thats it. Im Annita Mcveigh live at windsor where us president Joe Biden has just been welcomed by the queen. The queen greeted the us leader and the first Lady in the castles quadrangle, where the Us National Anthem was pLayed. A guard of honour gave a Royal Salute then went in for tea with the Queen Hell be leaving very shortly. Im ben brown, and im in falmouth where the G7 Summit has concluded Member States have agreed to deliver more than A Billion coronavirus vaccinations to poorer countries and promised concerted action on climate change. But tensions between britain and france over brexit threatened