2016-02-12
REPORT: “My power is the people!”
In 2015, on behalf of the City of Malmö, I followed the musician Ramy Essam and his first year as an artist at risk in Sweden. The aim was to describe the implementation of Sweden’s first safe haven for musicians.
The report is now available in Swedish and English here (read summary below).
The report was presented during the conference that the City of Malmö arranged in December 2015, the first of three networking meetings – Safe Havens 2015-2017 (in English below the Swedish text). The conference series are based on a human-rights perspective and aims to be a meeting place for activists of culture and academia. The conference was created in a collaborative process between different cultural actors and organizations, where the focus is on the relationship between culture and human rights.
Read more about Ramy Essam.
Foto: Iñaki Marconi
EXCERPT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report describes the implementation of Malmö’s first safe haven programme for musicians. A basic principle for the report is a strong belief in the importance of freedom of expression as a basis for the establishment of democratic, free and open societies without censorship and oppression. This is supplemented by a conviction that the voices of those who describe injustices by means of artistic expression or in academic contexts must be heard. Today, a large number of artists are silenced by their national regimes, and probably many more would choose an artistic career if it was not fraught with such danger. It seems that art is apparently a kind of power. Reflections in the form of text, music and photographs visualise the thoughts and arguments that we need in a common pursuit of freedom. The courage shown by many cultural creators can give strength to whole populations.
Being a safe haven involves the making of a commitment by a city, a municipality or a region to offer a persecuted artist or cultural creator accommodation and a financial grant for a certain period. The aim is to create opportunities for such people to continue with their professional work in the calmness provided by an environment of artistic freedom. Artist-run initiatives for short-term safe havens are also being developed.
This report describes how the Egyptian musician Ramy Essam is helping broaden the knowledge and horizons regarding how to structure a safe haven residency for musicians, and how the power of music both opens and closes doors. Professional networks are a prerequisite for a musical career, but how can they be adapted to individual needs and expectations in order to cater for the short time that a residency lasts? How should they be configured and who finances them? The opportunities that arise in a musician that has been oppressed into silence but who has now had his or her gag removed are many, and the challenges involved are even more plentiful.
According to Ramy Essam, physical safety is not the top priority with regard to aspects that should work in a safe haven residency – after all, many safe haven guests have already jeopardised their safety time and again with their creative work, by being fearless and open to change. Top of the list is in fact the chance to continue being able to be creative, to resume their artistic work and to have a well thought-out geographical location that offers opportunities and networks for this purpose. The political will to stand up for freedom of expression or to “save an artist” is not enough on its own.
The report also illustrates how political decisions at the local level, thoroughly prepared by a targeted-oriented and visionary administrative body, can resonate all the way up to the UN.
When your words are used as evidence against you, and when you hide your true religion inside your heart
And when I see humiliation in your eyes, let’s add your depression to mine
Bow your head, bow it down, you are in a democratic homeland
And when its protector becomes its thief, throwing his nation behind his back
Moving up and down while constantly exploiting people’s rights, supported by the army’s uniform
Bow your head, bow it, you are in a democratic homeland
طاطى طاطى (Taty Taty)
Lyrics: Abo Zed Bayomi
Music: Ramy Essam