“A Dream from Earth to Walls” initiative aims at challenging the obstacles facing youth’s participation in public life in Jordan and deterring their ability to realize change.
The initiative was launched on Saturday 03 September 2022 at the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD)’s premises in Jordan Valley. The initiative is part of the “New Generation” project and is the fruit of a partnership between the Arab Renaissance for Democracy and Development (ARDD) and Irzal for Culture and Art. The project aims at equipping youth in the Northern Jordan Valley with the skills required to positively participate in their communities and lead initiatives for political and civil participation.
Parliament member Ali Al-Ghazzawi spoke at the launch event and stressed the importance of developing the capacities of youth to become actors within their communities, investing in them to convey their voices, promoting collective work, and expressing their hopes and ambitions through untraditional methods such as art.
Eman Abu Qaoud, the Networks and Coalitions Coordinator at ARDD explained that the project aims at developing youth’s capacities through art and investing in local resources and encouraging them to be ambassadors of the New Generation project as well as enhance partnerships with civil society organizations specialized in these areas.
Mohammad Aameri, President of Irzal for Culture and Art and the initiative explained the initiative’s goal of introducing youth to the secrets of their environment and its opportunities and the importance of preserving it, interacting with it, and developing it.
He added: “within the artistic nature of the initiative, there will be upcycling of the grass into canvas paper to be used for paintings conveying messages. There will be a focus on the possibilities to build and rebuild, create using available resources, revive beauty out of nothingness, rise from the ashes, and express art.”
Basheer Abbasi, a 28-year-old participant in the initiative expressed his wishes for the initiative to last longer to enable him from developing his knowledge and skills and share them with others. He explained how youth in his area are in dire need of inclusion in the public arena and their voices to be heard.
Fatima Qasim, a 25-year-old participant in the initiative and volunteer with the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development believes youth participation in similar activities helps them overcome routine, think outside the box, and exchange skills and experience.
The project will take 30 days, allowing youth to learn about principles of political and civil participation through ARDD’s training. They will learn how to create art with plants disposed of and their art will be displayed in a gallery. Participants are 30 young men and women aged 18 to 29 years from the Nothern Jordan Valley area.
