Youth from South Sudan use art to create peace

Julian Abul Oyay painting on a wall in Juba South Sudan.
SOUTH SUDAN - Young artists from South Sudan have become peace activists , expressing their daily struggles through art in Juba. They are saying Anataban .The movement has also created a platform for young people to voice their opinions.
Speaking during an interview in Nairobi, artist, Julian Abul Oyay said the #AnataBan Campaign was established because they were tired of oppression."AnataBan means I am tired in Arabic, we saw many things that were happening such as economic poverty and inequality , but people were quiet about it", she said.

The campaign was developed in a work shop in Lake Elementaita, Kenya, by Pawa 254 and 20 South Sudanese artists.The location that they chose was significant because it is the same location where the 2005 peace agreement was signed.

According to Oyay the group of Musicians, Actors, Poets, Fashion designers, Graffiti Artists and cartoonists ended up composing a peace song with Kenyan producer "Saint P".‘’After the song production we conducted a three day Roadshow in some of the most conflict affected location estates within Juba city, namely Jebel Market, Konyokonyo and Lou Clinic in Gudele where the fighting broke out in July 2016,''she said.

She said that the conflict led to hunger due to the economic collapse and insecurity which prevents the people from farming and feeding their families.Oyay emphasized," young soldiers are fighting a war that they do not know anything about and that is why the message of peace is targeted towards them".

On International Day of Peace , September 2016 , they distributed 1000 white handkerchieves with a reconciliation message on them that said, "we are sorry for what we have done to each other".Oyay added that their street art campaign speaks is placed strategically in various parts of Juba city to promote messages of peace, unity and reconciliation.

AnaTaban believes that by giving people opportunities to speak out and feel heard, a greater understanding can be developed between communities and individuals.

The campaign is non- profit and has no ownership, it is open to anyone who has the same vision and respects their values according to Oyay.

video and pictures courtesy of AnaTaban

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