Sending Off Letters is an international multi-strand live literature project taking its lead from John Robinson’s Farewell Letter to the Pilgrims (July 1620) as they embarked on a journey towards new beginnings in an unknown land. As pastor of the pilgrims’ church in Leiden, John Robinson offers advice and guidance for the future conduct of a community united in purpose of establishing a peaceful society free from religious persecution. The pilgrims are urged to work together setting aside personal ambition in favour of a common goal; to not give or take easy offense at the action of others, to act in patience and to be guided by principles of governance in the interests of peace.
This document influenced the wording of the Mayflower Compact, the first governing document of the Plymouth Colony, one of the earliest successful colonies founded by the English in America.
To commemorate the 400-year anniversary of the Mayflower’s departure from the Dutch City of Leiden and the south coast of England, students and teachers explore the act of snailmail letter-writing with students in the UK, the Netherlands, the US, as a contrast to the immediacy of a technological age where instant messaging can remove opportunity for thoughtful and well-planned composition.
This project runs from September 2019-July 2020.