Sudanese artists highlight development issues

Goethe- Institute in Khartoum in partnership with the German Development Service (DED), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) presents the results of the second phase of the “A picture is worth a thousand words” campaign at the Home and Away Business Centre in Juba.

The six weeks liberal arts for development campaign focuses on development projects implemented by the European Commission funded and UNDP managed Recovery and Rehabilitation Programme (RRP) in Upper Nile, Blue Nile and River States. Three groups, each one comprising five Sudanese artists and graphic design trainer from Germany have visited RRP locations for one week. During these field visits, the Sudanese artists have worked together with the local communities and NGOs to develop illustrations, posters and artwork highlighting development issues and organized workshops for local children, most of them painting for the first time in their life.

Drawing Sudanese artists and rural communities closer will allow delivery of development messages in a visual style that speaks to rural Sudanese subtle beliefs and feelings. The campaign is an advocacy tool that encourages Sudanese artists to use their artistic skills to advocate for development and reinforces other communications tools ranging from circle discussions to radio for development. Using illustrations, cartoons and pictorials, has proven to be an efficient way of informing and sensitizing rural populations with a high rate of illiteracy , on new water filtering methods and other important hygiene topics, environment protection, peace issues, aids awareness, abolition of FGM or other sensitive social issues.

The fist stage of this campaign took place nearly one year ago in cooperation with the German Development Service. The campaign developed the artistic skill of 13 artists from across Sudan to enable them to work with development organizations, including local NGOs, in promoting and advocating for development in Sudan. In addition to developing their technical skills and creativity, the artists also learned how to analyze the work of development organizations in order to illustrate it by appealing to the local cultures. The second phase of the liberal arts campaign focuses on field training and working in close cooperation with NGOs and community including workshops for local children, for most of them the first experience in their life to use pencils and water colours. The artwork created by artists and children during these training sessions was displayed last April at an exhibition at the National Museum in Khartoum hosted by the Goethe Institute. In the same context, the exhibition is now transferred to Juba and displayed at the Home and Away Business Centre.

The media is cordially invited for the opening celebration tomorrow Friday 02 May 2008 at the Home and Away Business Centre at 10 A.M. and for the opening concert at 07 P.M.

For further information please contact Angela Gruenert, Project Manager, Mob. 09-15500891