Alsama Projet: Still Humans – Art, Humanity & Bioethics
Press Release II
by Renata S Beman (PhD)
We are one step closer to our exhibition – Thank you!
“It all started when I saw the Alsama project in a report by Sky News” This was the phase that opened our video a few months ago. It has been more than one year since the project started. Powered by hope and tenacity, we’re still going on, one step closer to developing our beautiful exhibition featuring artwork created by 100 children.
It has been an incredible experience, from meeting Alsama for the first time to getting to know their unique educational model that has changed the lives of many children. It took many meetings to design materials and select topics, in preparation for starting our online classes amid war. We successfully managed to present to the children ten topics, such as “healing with love, the struggle of humanity, but also discussed works of art and literature from Caravaggio to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince, with moments of reflection on the importance of creativity and imagination.
With imaginary invisible glasses that let us colourfully see the world, even when we did not have colours. Despite the limitations, our classes were extraordinary, with the children participating, smiling, and asking many questions. They also shared their life experiences and how they feel about a world that sometimes makes them, refugee children, feel invisible, uncomfortable, and excluded. As a result of the project, they are reassured that art, education, and equality are about being a person and a right for all. Being a refugee today doesn’t mean being a refugee always; besides that, a title doesn’t define them. I am fascinated by their kindness, intelligence, talents and enthusiasm for education.
There have been so many moments, but during the class on inspirational people, I was thrilled to see the children’s reactions when we discussed the importance of people who dedicate their lives towards doing good for others. We talked about the importance of our creatures on our planet and in nature. Another beautiful moment was when we closed our eyes and placed our hands over our hearts, reflecting on the importance of integrating thinking (head), feeling/empathy (heart), and practical action (hands) to be fully human and to build a just world effectively.
With fantastic memories and hearts full of hope, we are moving towards phase two of the project (developing an art exhibition). We are designing the concept, with a message of humanity from all children to the world.
It would not be possible without the kindness of the donations we received to purchase the art materials. Here I say thank you to everyone who donated. It meant a lot. Thank you also for believing in us and for stepping aside and recognising that these are children, not to judge them, but to embrace them.
Also, a special thank you to Mrs Bouchra Yassin for attending the classes of the first phase and finding time to organise the children. To Luca, our filmmaker, and to the Uffizi Gallery, Firenze, for showing much kindness in welcoming me to record the video in the Sala di Sandro Botticelli. Thank you to Prof. Alberto García Gómez and the Department of Bioethics at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum.
I would like to welcome Mr Mohomed Hamdan (Alsama new art coordinator) and Mr Amjad Hhaji (Alsama director of education), who will lead the next steps of art creation with me. We now hope to showcase our exhibition in Europe and take it to my city, Maceió, and to the “Caminho das Águas” in the beautiful Alagoas, Brasil.
In times of chaos, charity is more important than ever. This initiative brings you a message of hope, peace, love, and tenacity, and even when times seem too much to bear, put on your invisible glasses and look at the world with kindness.
