In أنا
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Inside of me
We are
أننا
“ The project gave me the time and space to be myself, to remember who I am, what I can do,
being a part of such a diverse group of people made me understand my existence in this world, helped me see things in their real dimensions.“
Eva Papavergou, Greece, Coordinator of the Education Department of the State Museum of Contemporary Art
OUR STORY
INANA's story starts in 2016/17 in the refugee camps of Northern Greece when a team of humanitarian workers Working with Doctors of the World and individual artists stranded in the camps met around a common objectives :
speaking out loud about the lack of access to basic human rights for hundred of thousand displaced individuals at the European borders - diversifying perspectives on refugees in Europeans' understanding - creating path towards innovative, resilient, actions to enhance integration processes.
Working together responded to a need for both
For the artists, the need to express, to make their voices, colors, shapes, experiences and stories being heard, acknowledged, reachable to the large community.
For the humanitarians, the strength and resilience encountered in these individuals - age 12 to 65 - appeared as window of hope, of life, of light in this very hostile and harsh context of camps, where very often the feeling of "too much, too tired, too few possibilities" is difficult to bear.
This encounter turned into the milestone of what today is the Integr'Art Project - the main project of INANA which creates art residencies in different cities of Europe, creating opportunities of collaboration for refugee and local individuals through art and for social change to which 56 artists from 11 different countries have participated to 5 residencies so far, leading to an itinerant exhibition that speaks about their shared journey, learning that they deliver to others through their collective art.
It was not conscious by then, but it became clear that this project was a refuge for all.
Once Doctors of the World -CH withdrew from Greece the team decided to continue the project independently and one year later, in January 2019 created the INANA Association, constituted by this interdisciplinary team of very diverse humans, from diverse countries and backgrounds who continue moving forward towards creating new integrated social realities.
First Residency PAIN & Hope, in March 2024, with Doctors of the World Greece/Switzerland
OUR VISION
INANA envisions inclusion as a continuous opportunity of individual and collective growth and as a resilient & functional response to go beyond the mental, imaginary and physical borders that are threatening humanity today.
We ambition to create a society in which each individual matter and can be part of social change in compliance with where we are and where we want to go, independently from our origins, age, sex or social background.
A society where creative and critical thinking goes hand in hand with intercultural and intergenerational learning and are keys to building ideas, solutions, and projects together.
OUR MISSION
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COLLABORATION & INTERCULTURAL LEARNING THROUGH ART
We organize art-based residencies, workshops, and training in different cities for individuals from different backgrounds, from different communities, who hardly get opportunities to meet to come together, to think together, to exchange, debate, and CREATE collaboratively. Intercultural and intergenerational dialogue art at the heart of what we do.
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ADVOCACY AND FUNDRAISING
We create means for people to take an active part in our advocacy and fund-raising events, and make it possible and accessible to all - children, adults, individuals from here and there, to convey their messages on social inclusion versus exclusion to the large European community. We participate in international events and congresses and organize awareness-raising activities.
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PARTNERSHIP AND NETWORKING
We collaborate with local public and private institutions and build a community of artists involved in social inclusion through Europe. We generate opportunities for artists from different countries to get together around activities or projects, connecting them with a network of organizations.
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LOCAL PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
We aim to support local advocacy, art, and/or fundraising initiatives empowered by citizens and groups who participated in our activities through providing technical support.