World Citizen Artists

Should Art Be Political?

Cambridge-based Syrian artist Issam Kourbaj and social anthropologist and UNESCO consultant Cristina Cusenza talk about the impact of art and the challenges when it mixes with political issues. Issam Kourbaj comes from a background in fine art, architecture and theater design. He was born in Syria and trained at the Institute of Fine Arts in Damascus, the Repin Institute of Fine Arts & Architecture in St. Petersburg, and the Wimbledon School of Art. Since 1990, he's lived in Cambridge, UK, where he's been an artist-in-residence, bye-fellow, and lecturer in art at Christ's College. His work has been exhibited in museums around the world, including the Fitzwilliam Museum, the Museum of Classical Archeology and Kettle's Yard House and Gallery, the Penn Museum, the British Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the Tropical Museum, and the Venice Biennale. Issam was featured on the BBC program "A History of the World in 100 Objects." Neil MacGregor (the former director of the British Museum) chose Issam's artwork Dark Water, Burning World as the 101st object. Cristina Cusenza is a social anthropologist with experience in international development and cooperation, most notably at UNESCO, where she led programs to promote the social inclusion and human rights of marginalized groups, with a focus on indigenous peoples and people with disabilities. Cristina has been involved in the coordination of the International Year and Decade of Indigenous Languages, international mechanisms of the United Nations to promote linguistic and cultural diversity. She's worked extensively on cultural and arts policy, particularly through her research project at Oxford College and the fieldwork she conducted with displaced Syrian artists in the international art market between 2017 and 2018. She's worked with the Organization on Identity and Cultural Development (OICD) to support practitioners in addressing identity conflicts in different regions of the world. She has also experience in the field of social entrepreneurship (Enterprising Oxford) and humanitarian assistance (UNRWA).

A Long Road to Equality

Kawser Amine is a former athlete on the Afghan national soccer team, a refugee in the U.S., and a peace activist who advocates for young women. She's been interviewed by local and international news outlets about the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and has launched a campaign for educational and sports opportunities for women in Afghanistan. She's currently building an organization that will support the education of refugee women and girls. In this podcast, Kawser talks about her journey from refugee to leader in advocacy and activism.

Believe in Your Dreams

Enrique Chiu started the "Mural of Brotherhood" on the border on Election Day 2016. The project consists of painting the border wall between Mexico and the U.S. that stretches for a mile in Tijuana, and it's still growing. Thousands of people have joined the project to shed light on the immigration issue and bring a glimmer of hope to a topic that's sparked so much debate in recent years. Since then, more than 5,600 people have participated in the project, and some of them have taken the idea to other cities or countries and created a mural of brotherhood in support of migrants or for human rights.  The "Mural of Brotherhood" has also been replicated in Egypt, Guatemala, and Berlin, and I've had the opportunity to work with migrants on the South and Central American border, Kenya, Bangladesh, and South Africa, and recently I gave presentations about it in Cairo, Egypt, in CDMX and last year in Abu Dhabi with the embassies of Mexico and Berlin.

The Future of Climate Action

In this podcast, Rajib Ghosal shares his extensive knowledge and experiences to inspire our listeners to take action themselves.   Rajib Ghosal has worked with various organizations, including Union of Concerned Scientists; Child Rights and You, CARE International, UNICEF, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Office for Project Services, Asian Development Bank, World Bank, Aga Khan Foundation, The Green Climate Fund; Asian Forest Cooperation Organization, and Save the Children International.

How Can Sustainability Be Achieved At The Local Level

Suman Thapa is a musician, singer, songwriter, and professor of ophthalmology at the Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology in Kathmandu, Nepal. Suman was also appointed Research Director and Head of the Glaucoma Department.   As an immediate call following the 2015 mega earthquake in Nepal, Suman and a group of like-minded friends started a volunteer organization called "Ek Ek Paila", where he's the president of the organization, that provides comprehensive free health services in remote areas of the country. 'Ek Ek Paila' has already conducted more than 20 missions in remote areas and established two permanent primary health care hospitals in the country.  As a musician, singer and songwriter, Suman has released several albums with his band "The Blue Fret."  The band has fused the sound of two ethnic Nepali instruments (flute and sarangi) with the western style of music. Their debut album was "Jiri blues", an English album. The band was selected to perform at 'Jazzmandu', a jazz festival held every year in Kathmandu.  Suman launched 'Music for Medicine',  a successful project, where he combines two of his professions to raise money for medical treatment for people who cannot afford it. These benefit concerts are held twice a year in Kathmandu before leaving for the free "Ek Ek Paila" clinics in remote areas.    Currently, the band is working on a Nepali album.