Migrants’ life captured on camera
Mohammed, by Kasia Peukert
Unframing Migration is the title of a photographic exhibition organised by the Migrants Solidarity Movement and funded by the Malta Arts Fund and Heritage Malta.
This exhibition is meant to describe the migrants living in Malta (mainly, but not exclusively, coming from African countries), and also to present the commitment of the Maltese people whose life or work is carried out in close contact with them through photojournalism. The main objective of the project is to try and break down the widespread prejudices and stereotyped representations of the migrants in Malta.
By tackling the issue of migration through the understanding of the daily life of these people (including very successful stories of integration), one may contribute to the promotion of intercultural dialogue on our islands. The exhibition also attempts to confront the public with a reality they often fear, blame or simply tend to ignore.
The pictures portray the daily life of migrants and of those working with them; a reality that visitors could identify with while helping to overcome cultural barriers. The project should also promote the idea that people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds can benefit from working together.
This ties up with the very essence of what the Migrants Solidarity Movement is all about creating cultural diversity and acceptance. Kasia Peukert, the organisation’s photographer, captured those moments that many of us are not able to see. Other participating photographers are Thomas Kelsey and Malica Gaudin Delrieu. Also, as part of this exhibition, the Organisation for Friendship in Diversity, which recently organised a two-week summer camp for children of migrants and those of Maltese families, are bringing together a selection of photographs by a group of professional photographers, taken during the two-week camp.
The theme of the exhibition on the whole has pictures of migrants from two perspectives, the latter being that of integration within our society - bringing unity in diversity.
The exhibition is currently taking place at the Heritage Malta headquarters in Merchants Street, Valletta, until September 26 (including the evening of Notte Bianca). Open Mondays to Fridays, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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Rhonda Ann Balzan Bastow
Sep 26th 2010, 05:57
I am not sure how it works in Malta but a think tank of young people called leftright www.leftright.org.au has just formed her and also getup www.getup.org.au who have run some extremely successful campaigns lately around a whole range of issues . Both are achieving brilliant things. I am active in the community here, but I get the distinct feeling that there are deficates in the understanding around strategic alliances and lobbying in Malta.
Willing to offer any support to anyone. I teach it here at college diploma level.
Rhonda Balzan Bastow www.malteseacademynsw.org.au
Sean Grima
Sep 5th 2010, 16:18
@louise vella: what business of yours is it?
Louise Vella
Sep 4th 2010, 20:04
Can the Migrants Solidarity Movement tell us the names of its president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer and the other members of the board of directors? Can it give us its postal address? When was the last annual general meeting held and at which address? Can it give us the list of contributions it has received since its foundation and their origin?
Sean Grima
Sep 4th 2010, 09:56
@l gialanze: well, the more you should get used to the feeling of frustration.
CHristine Xuereb
Sep 4th 2010, 00:50
@Sean GRima ....Thank you .
@LOuise Vella ..Heritage Malta sponsored the venue of where the exhibition is taking place , and yes , like Sean Grima corrected you - everyone within MSM are volunteers .
Louis Gialanze
Sep 3rd 2010, 23:39
The more the authorities continue to ram the aliens down our gullets the more we harden our resolve to have them repatriated.
Sean Grima
Sep 3rd 2010, 14:56
i do not see any problem with heritage malta being involved. migrants are not anything to be ashamed of, after all, malta's culture is a product of the mix of various cultures and races. it xenophobia which is shameful.
throwing mud at NGOs will not stick. it is probably financed voluntarily. look who's talking about sterotyping!
Louise Vella
Sep 3rd 2010, 12:25
I cannot for the life of me see how Heritage Malta, which has the noble mission to defend and protect Malta's heritage, has been drawn into this.
As for Migrants Solidarity Movement, I invite readers to go on its website www.migrantsmalta.org and check if I'm right or wrong. Its statute says the organisation shall have a board of directors, a president, a vice-president, a secretary and a treasurer. I could not find the name of a single person in all the website. There are also references to Maltese NGOs but none of them is referred to by its name. I went into the section 'resources' hoping to see how the organisation is financed. No luck! They just mention two old documents. As for the rest, it's full of platitudes and stereotypes. We expect much more from an organisation that claims to be serious and to be an opinion leader.