🌍 The conversation “Desert Roots: Growing Hope in the Sahrawi Refugee Camps” happened on Thursday 24 October 2024. We invited Sahrawi artist Mohamed Sleiman Labat to a conversation with featured speaker Ali Akbar Mehta, in the 5th discussion of the series Ec(h)o Effect: Conversations on War & Environment, curated and moderated by Ines Montalvao, Program Director at AwE.

Mohamed Sleiman Labat gave an insightful view on how art and farming bring hope and resilience to the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria. Discover how his creative projects, such as desert farming and preserving oral traditions, help his community face environmental and social challenges.

Listen to this meaningful conversation on turning the harsh desert into a space of hope and regeneration!

This event was held online and this is the audio version of the session, also available as video on AwE's Youtube channel.

Mohamed Sleiman Labat is a multidisciplinary artist born and raised in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria. His work spans filmmaking, writing, and community art, focusing on the Sahrawi people's history and resilience. Founder of Motif Art Studio, Labat’s practice explores environmental challenges, local food production, and the preservation of Sahrawi oral traditions. His projects, including the PHOSfate Sandoponic garden, address climate and food security issues in the desert, showcasing the role of art-science in building community resilience.

🌱 The AwE podcast presents the Ec(h)o Effect series, where we unravel the intricate interplay between war and environment, with engaging and thought-provoking conversations. Get ready to reimagine the relationship between humanity and the natural world, exploring new pathways towards environmental sustainability, peacebuilding, and resilience in the face of conflict. With a constellation of insightful guests, we will delve into critical issues such as climate change, resource scarcity, mass migration, and democratic erosion, as well as other unexpected topics that intertwine with war and environment in unforeseen ways.

We invite you on a journey of exploration through the complex intersections of war, environment, and society, as we uncover insights, spark dialogue, and imagine a path towards a more sustainable and equitable future.

Ec(h)o Effect: conversations on War and Environment is a program funded by the Nordic Culture Fund, who awarded Artists with Evidence with the Globus Opstart grant for 2024.

Follow Artists with Evidence (AwE) and reach out if you want to get involved!