Arts and culture set to astound youth delegates at the Assembly with our artist-in-residence
World-renowned graffiti street artist Mohammed Ali MBE will be joining us in Sweden to create an unforgettable artistic experience embedded within the Assembly.
Award-winning artist Mohammed Ali has been involved with creating art around the world for over a decade. An artist and educator, Mohammed has used his compelling street-art as a tool for educating and empowering people around the globe.
He explores the power of art to communicate, exploring issues around identity, spirituality, interfaith and universal social values. He explores values that transcend faith and cultural barriers and his work has been reported by mainstream media as being a ‘bridge of understanding between faith communities’.
Some examples of Mohammed Ali’s work:
Ali’s ethos of “taking art to the people” has evolved to combine street art with live performances, installations, digital projections and moving soundscapes. He has created truly immersive experiences for audiences throughout the world. From street canvases in New York, Amsterdam, London and Melbourne, to intimate performances in the Vatican, Ali has used his art and collaborations with critically acclaimed musicians and poets to produce unique experiences.
One of our main sponsors, the Total Foundation, have generously funded the artistic element of the Assembly through the Foundation’s focus on arts and cultural heritage activities. Ali and his Soul City Arts team will be involved in the Assembly in several artistic interventions including dressing the Assembly venue throughout in specially designed guerrilla-style street art focusing on youth and road safety themes to inspire and provoke.
Up to 200 youth delegates from more than 60 countries attending the assembly will partake in artistic expression through Ali’s signature expression walls and will be encouraged to engage their creativity to connect to road safety through graffiti. Delegates will also be treated to live art performances where they will see his art being created.
More than 1500 young people took part in youth consultations in more than 55 countries in the build-up to the Assembly, connecting with communities around the world to explore topics of road safety, safe mobility and sustainability. As part of these consultations, young people were tasked with creating artwork that expressed the realities they see on the roads around them. Ali and his team have selected the most thought-provoking art for a curated exhibition that will be launched during the Assembly.
“As an artist my job is to bring new approaches and new thinking to make the world a safer place. I’m all for empowering new generations through the transformative nature of art. It’s a rare moment for artists to respond in such conference settings to real issues we all face in the world. When I heard that 1000 young people die on the road every day across the world, it blew my mind and I felt compelled to contribute. ”