Artists Collaborate To Work Towards Sustainable Development Goals
The Great African Caravan’s pre-launch event took place on 18th July 2018, the Nelson Mandela Day, in partnership with UNESCO in New Delhi, India. The evening was blessed by the presence of Mr. Al-Amin Yusuph, Officer-in-Charge and Advisor for Communication and Information for South Asia, UNESCO New Delhi Cluster Office, Rahul Ram the lead singer and activist from the band Indian Ocean, Augusto Anthonio Generoso, first secretary Mozambique, and other foreign dignitaries. accompanied by The Great African Caravan (GAC) artist Mr. Akram Feroze on stage and GAC African Coordinator Mr. Presidoe Okuguni.
Mr. Al-Amin spoke about the collaboration between GAC and UNESCO and how art is an important tool to bring about peace and promote sustainable development goals in various forms, he spoke about Mandela day and how important it is to walk on the path paved by him.
Next was screening of a short video by GAC team that explained the entire journey in a creative way. Akram Feroze thanked UNESCO for Hosting the Flag-off ceremony of the Great African Caravan, and about the 200 days journey across the 12 nations of Africa, the importance of artistic collaborations and working towards Sustainable Development Goals 2030 together as artists.
Rahul Ram, in his enthusiastic manner spoke about how excited he is about the project and how amazed he is about the thought and the journey. He shared his thoughts about how important it is to have a cultural exchange and how much the African artists and GAC team can learn from each other, on a road- trip like this, he also requested all the representatives from various Embassies to show as much support as they can to the GAC artists, saying “they would need it”.
It was followed by a musical performance by reggae musician: McWills Ime Phillips, and everybody was swinging to the tune of “One Love” by Bob Marley.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Mr. Yusuph and Rahul Ram in the company of representatives from the various African embassies that are on the road map of GAC. The opening was also attended by Veerendra Mishra, Executive Director NYKS (Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan) and Director NSS (National Service Scheme), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, Mrs. Sangeeta Gupta, Artist/Poet/Retd. Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, Delhi, and Mrs. Rashmi Malik, Principal Salwan Public School, Gurugram. Members of the media, art lovers and representatives from GAC partners graced the occasion.
The exhibition opening was followed by the Great African Caravan flag off by all the dignitaries who wished the entire GAC team their best wishes for their road trip and great adventures ahead.
The Great African Caravan
The Great African Caravan is a road travel project by Art Caravan to attain and promote Global Goals for Sustainable Development (aka Sustainable Development Goals or SDG). 12 Artists from Uganda, Netherlands,Argentina, England, India, Germany, and Kosovo have come together with artists, activists, civil societies, Govt. bodies, and international organizations across continents to integrate art as a tool to achieve SDGs.
The Caravan will travel for 200 days from Cape Town to Cairo. It will begin in South Africa on 15th August 2018 and move through Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and conclude in Egypt in March 2019.
