Refugee designers and artists share their journeys on Instagram

Refugees have to make tricky selections when fleeing their households. But even though they can only have so substantially, they bring many presents to their new communities: hopes and goals, ordeals and skills, traditions and relatives tales, resilience and perseverance. 

For Environment Refugee Day 2022 (June 20), the Intercontinental Rescue Committee partnered with Instagram’s @structure account to explain to the tales of 3 designers and artists who, obtaining fled their households as refugees, introduced a lot more than they carried with them. Take a look at their function beneath.

Nima Javan – from Iran to the United Kingdom

My artwork is a visible way for my individual animal people to explain our planet. I think that any one can find this means from my characters.

 – Nima Javan (@nimajavan.artwork on Instagram)

Born in Iran, wherever he studied graphic design and painting, Nima arrived in the United Kingdom in 2019 as an asylum seeker. Working from his London flat, Nima delivers a modern aesthetic to the classic Persian art that evokes him. He’s been employing his art to inform stories of shared experiences among the refugees, and he desires of developing big-scale sculptures of his animal figures for public screen.

Look at Nima’s movie on @style and design to find out far more about his do the job and see how it will come to lifetime: 

Kadijatu Grace Ahene – from Sierra Leone to the United States

Kadijatu Grace Ahene sits in front of a garden

Image: Rosem Morton

All people has a song, but everybody’s is just a minimal little bit various. So if you and I are able to discover who we are and what our ability is, then we have succeeded.

 – Kadijatu Grace Ahene (@dijastouch_ on Instagram)

Born in Sierra Leone, Kadijatu struggled with depression as an asylum seeker constructing a new existence in Arizona. She could not locate her tale in the culture close to her. One particular night time, she prayed. 

“Believe it or not,” Kadijatu remembers, “I dreamt of producing footwear.”  She acquired a low-cost pair of sneakers and pulled them aside to learn how to make them herself.  Nowadays she employs African prints to make tailor made-developed sneakers and other objects.

Discover extra about Kadijatu’s perform and how she uses her manufacturer Dija’s Contact to give back again to her community:

 Diala Brisly – from Syria to France

Diala stands with her hands on her hips in a room with children who are painting

Art is a way to talk. With artwork, we understand far more about our character.

 – Diala Brisly (@dialabrisly on Instagram)

When civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, artist and animator Diala Brisly’s work shifted into political artwork and journalism. Compelled to flee her dwelling in 2013, Diala started working art workshops and creating murals in refugee camps in Turkey and Lebanon before in search of asylum in France. 

This summer, Diala is publishing a graphic novel. She is also doing the job on a kid’s reserve about PTSD and hosts artwork remedy workshops for young children. 

Discover Diala’s work and locate out the artistic tips she provides her pupils: 

5 techniques you can welcome refugees

We stand for a environment that acknowledges, welcomes and supports all refugees, on World Refugee Day (June 20) and every single day.

Take a look at how you can help welcome refugees on Environment Refugee Working day 2022 and beyond.