“Dialogue” in 2010

Art for Humanity’s current project, “Dialogue among Civilisations”, is an initiative that is based on the global social ills of racism, xenophobia and the plight of refugees. The project will involve the collaboration between artists and poets from Africa and those countries who participated in the 2006 Soccer World Cup. The participants will be invited to create work on the theme of identity, land, object and belief. The ultimate objective is to elicit and challenge the South African public’s views on xenophobia, racism, refugees and foreign visitors in and to South Africa. These views are presently couched in an endemic magnitude of racism, xenophobia and victimisation of those individuals and families seeking refugee status in South Africa or as visitors and amongst South Africans themselves.

The project has been warmly received by everyone who has been exposed to it, with statements endorsing the projects having been received from organisations and individuals including Ms. Sherylle Delene Dass, Lawyers for Human Rights Refugee and Migrant Rights Project, artists Lisa Lou and Mick Haggerty, Professor Alan F. Roberts from the UCLA Department of World Arts and Culture, Marilyn Martin, Director of Iziko Museum, poet and short story writer Vivienne Glance, Father Michael Lapsley Director of the Institute for Healing of Memories, Manuela Mesa, Director of the Centre of Education and Peace Research (CEIPAZ), Federico Mayor Zaragoza the president of CEIPAZ, Deputy Mayor Cr. Jiosefa Gavidi, City of Suva, Coalition of Cities against Discrimination and Racism - Asia pacific Region, peace activist Ela Gandhi, as well as Jay Naidoo, Chairperson of the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA). See link: http://www.afh.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=289&Itemid=133 For endorsers previously featured.

AFH has also secured the collaborative participation of artists and poets such as Churchill Madikida with Lebogang Mashile from South Africa, William Kelly with Joel Deane from Australia and Mel Edwards with Jayne Cortez from US, other secured participants are poet Shailja Patel from Kenya and Egyptian artist Amira Wasfy. AFH also plans to invite respected artists and poets that are making a significant difference in their countries and communities.

A catalogue based on the project will be published in time for the project launch 21st March 2010, South Africa Human Rights Day, at the Durban Art Gallery. The conference on the theme 'Art, Freedom of Expression, Human Rights and Peace' is being planned for the same week after which the public advocacy campaign will be initiated to also coincide with the Soccer World Cup, when South Africa will have a large numbers of guests from the rest of Africa and the international community visiting SA.

The Publication/Catalogue to be published early in 2010 will include the contributions from artists, poets, writers, educationalist and human rights activists representing the international community. Please submit your art, poetry and writings against racism, xenophobia and reflections on the plight of refugees accompanied by a short biography and a photograph of you to AFH by July 2009. This will appear under a special section Global Voices in the publication.

AFH invites calls from individuals, organisations and galleries who wish to exhibit the portfolio featuring prints and poetry form the project in 2010 and thereafter.

For more information on the Dialogue among Civilisations Project, visit http://www.afh.org.za/

or contact AFH