In a world marked by conflict and inequality, hope can feel fragile or even absent. Storm Cecile’s poem, The unstoppable power of hope, speaks into that silence.
First performed at Westminster Abbey, the poem has now been reimagined as a spoken word film. It moves through moments of war, hunger and displacement, naming suffering honestly while holding onto the belief that hope is something people make together.
This is the unstoppable power of hope
In a world shaped by conflict, climate crisis and inequality, hope does not happen by accident. It's built through action.
How history and faith shaped the poem
The unstoppable power of hope moves through moments of global upheaval, beginning in the shadow of the Second World War.
Storm recalls a world marked by fear, displacement and unanswered questions - and the response of churches coming together to support refugees across Europe.
From there, the poem journeys through decades of conflict, famine and climate crisis, drawing on experiences from places including Biafra and Ethiopia. Again and again, the poem returns to a simple truth: that hope has been carried forward through practical action, solidarity and partnership.
Throughout, the language is unflinching. Suffering is named clearly. But hope is emphasised as something made real. It’s expressed through emergency supplies, food, healthcare and support. It’s sustained by people refusing to look away.
'We have made great strides,
And we can count story after story
Of how hope has been carried
Like a carved cross from nation to nation,
From Biafra to Ethiopia,
The UK to Malaysia.
We are bringing good news
When hope feels like a synonym for silence.
When people feel forgotten
And fearful of the future,
We stand in the gap,
In the spirit of making a difference.
When hope feels like silence
When hope feels like a synonym for silence, the poem invites us to pause rather than rush for answers. It allows space for grief, uncertainty and the weight of unanswered questions.
The unstoppable power of hope holds a quiet tension between words and action. It suggests that hope is not only something we talk about, but something we live out, revealed in how people respond to suffering with compassion.
This is the hope Christian Aid continues to carry forward today. Determined and rooted in action, even when the world feels heavy.
Who is Storm Cecile?
Storm Cecile is an international spoken word poet who helps organisations share meaningful stories and messages with their audiences, through performance poetry.
As well as producing digital content, Storm has performed live at venues including Hampton Court Palace and The House of Lords, and toured with Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes and Martin Smith in a charity collaboration. In 2025, she started crowdfunding for a new series of spoken word video projects.
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