Bengadi: Syrian Refugee Art Therapy Project

Syrian Refugee Art Therapy Project - February 2016

The last day of this incredible 5 week journey - We accomplished so much more than we ever imagined!!! We painted over 4,300 sq. feet of murals all across the country with hundreds of Jordanian, Palestinian and Syrian Youth. Over 40,000 photographs were taken by the youth, dozens of short films were created and 7 originals songs were written and sung! Check out the videos!!!

Many children across the globe have had their innocence stolen from them. All children have the right to a childhood. With the tremendous incline of refugees worldwide Post Trauma Therapy is in a larger demand than ever before. The war remains within the human psyche until appropriate attention is given to the horrors and atrocities stored within the mind and body. Often times children who have been exposed to severe psychological stress, struggle to verbalize their traumas, and yet, one artistic composition can speak a thousand words. Art therapy is an essential social service support, especially in environments facing extreme adversity, that provides a safe, trusting environment for the development of healthy communication skills, serving as a positive outlet to release the effects of Post Trauma Stress Disorder (PTSD). It has proven to be a highly effective healing tool, fusing psychological exorcises with colors, shapes, movement and musical notes to calm mental turmoil and spread peace within, inevitably effecting the surrounding environment. In metaphorical terms, art therapy is a form of alchemy: transforming anxiety, depression, fear, and anger into positive expression, heightened self-esteem and a sense of self empowerment.

After painting hundreds of compositions with the Syrian Youth of the Zarqa Refugee Center we painted this wall as a going away celebration altogether... we started with a small part of the wall and then just took over the entire wall with so many smiles and the colors of love!

Za'atari, the second largest Refugee Camp in the world, is currently providing homes for 80,000 Syrian Refugees officially and unofficially an estimated 115,000 refugees. It is in great need of a positive creative outlet. The Syrian Refugee Art Therapy Project, partnered with "The Change is Me International: Chime In Youth Ambassador Program", and Lea Anne Omar Almetwaly, the Chime In Youth Ambassador of Jordan, intend to work directly with the Syrian Refugees in Jordan for a period of 18 days: January 2nd - 19th, 2016. We are also partnered with the NGO Voices of the Children and Save the Children. Voices of the Children have been teaching the Syrian Refugee Youth at Za'atari how to film their own short documentaries. Together we will create a sustainable community center for creativity, directed and utilized by the youth of Za'atari Refugee Camp in Jordan.

What a beautiful gift to paint together with the amazing special needs youth of Aqaba, Jordan

Deeply inspiring day painting with disability in Jordan

Objective:

Working hand in hand with NGO Voices of the Children - www.votchildren.org, Save the Children - www.savethechildren.org, Chime in:The Change is Me International and the Jordanian, Palestinian and Syrian Refugee Youth to lay the foundation of a sustainable model for creative healing in the Za'atari Refugee Camp and Amman, Jordan for years to come. - Not only was this project incredibly successful working with the youth, but also Benjamin Swatez held art therapy seminars/ workshops with the Save the Children field staff to carry on the work in Refugee Centers throughout the capital as well. What a team effort!!! OUR TEAM: Michael Christoffer Brown, Tasneem Asultan, Glen Shackley, Luc Reynaud, Lea Anne Almetwaly, Aaron Wagner and Benjamin Swatez.... Thank you everyone; and thank you to the courageous youth who choose to no longer be defined as victims, but now choose to paint, dance, sing and photograph their freedom!

120 foot mural painting with over 100 youth in Aqaba, Jordan

Benjamin Swatez - Founder of Colors of Love/ Project Director - Voices of the Children

e-mail: bswatez@gmail.com

Telephone: 001-213-332-3869

Lea Anne Almetwaly – Project Coordinator

E-mail: leaanne.almetwaly@gmail.com

Video Credit: Glen Shackley

Voices of the Children - Aaron Wagner

aaron@votchildren.org
VOICES OF THE CHILDREN WEBSITE

Compass of the Heart Mural in Aqaba, Jordan

Painting on the dive Shop in Aqaba, Jordan

Three 12 x 5 feet canvas murals were painted by both youth from Mount Vernon, Washington and Syrian Refugee youth from Za'atari Refugee Camp. They served as an intercultural dialogue, crossing oceans, cultures, religions and politics. These canvas demonstrated the beauty of the next generation and if they can share peace, love, respect and happiness... the entire world can!

This Project is just the beginning!!! We have since returned to film the "Welcome to My House" Music/Art Video with Luc and the Lovingtons, Voices of the Children, the amazing youth from the Za'atari Refugee Camp and the youth from the Pacific Northwest. This video serves as an amazing cross-cultural dialogue expressing that everyone in the world should feel welcome to a home! The song is sung in both Arabic and English. Murals were painted in both locations as well! All forms of creativity are a platform for human being to feel to human!

Luc and the Lovingtons Website
Voices of the Children Website

Luc and the Lovingtons and NGO Voices of the Children present:

"Welcome To My House" Music/ Art Video!!!
Luc and the Lovingtons Website

This video is a journey into the heart of humanity - a multi sensory platform for intercultural dialogue between the youth of the Pacific Northwest and the youth of the Za'atari Syrian refugee camp! Creativity is the bridge between worlds and everyone deserves to have a home! Let's share the voice of the youth, the voice of the open hearts, and the Colors of Love worldwide together!!! Freedom in a Unified Voice!

Producer Aaron Wagner - Executive producer Jason Mraz - Director/ editor Moe Najati - cinementographer Thomas Simon - singer/songwriter Luc Reynaud - musical producer/ musician Loren Boley - art director/ muralist Benjamin Swatez -documentary film maker - Glen Shackley

Two murals painted in the video by Benjamin Swatez - (Left) Mural painted with Syrian Refugees on the home of a Syrian Family's home in Za'atari Refugee Camp Jordan - (right) Mural painted on the campus of Skagit Valley College with youth from the Pacific Northwest!

Lyrics...

(VERSE)

why would you not want to see somebody shine?

why would you not want to get your whole mind blown?

by this love

and if you get it you could really fly

by seeing all your folks grow and climb because

you lift them up

i’ve got those thorns and those bitter seeds

but I’ll always share the sweetest part of me because

i’m not equipped to judge.

so everyday I keep

(CHORUS)

joy in my walk, love in my talk, peace in my house

you're welcome to my house, you're welcome to my house, you're welcome to my house

(VERSE 2)

i’ve been severed from the family tree

and there’s an itty bitty friend in me that say no

you can’t go up

and I’ve been dancing with him my whole life

and a friend I’m gonna make him mine and let’s go

we’ll be smiling up

so everyday I keep

(CHORUS)

joy in my walk, love in my talk, peace in my house

you're welcome to my house, you're welcome to my house, you're welcome to my house

(BRIDGE)

riding on the path to free

come on now you and me

all the food I have on my shelf

when I grow that joy in my self

and how I love to see my friends shine

always comin with that smile

and we’ll be climbing up

everybody with a full cup

(CHORUS)

you're welcome to my house, you're welcome to my house, you're welcome to my house

even if you kick me out, you're welcome to mine, you're welcome to my house

you're welcome to my house, you're welcome to my house, you're welcome to my house

(MOUNT VERNON AND ZA’ATARI YOUTH CHOIRS)

every day it’s,

joy, love, peace

farha, houm, salam

you're welcome to my house, you're welcome to my house, you're welcome to my house

ahlan eli bayti, ahlan eli bayti, ahlan eli bayti,

joy, love, peace, offering to you this

joy, love, peace, we’re walking and talking with

joy, love, peace

joy, love, peaaaaaaaaaaace, salaaaaaaaaaam