TRENDS study sheds light on vital role of art in conflict zones
25 Mar 2025 11:25
Abu Dhabi (Aletihad)TRENDS Research and Advisory issued a study titled "Art in Conflict Zones: The Language of Survival for Women and Children," prepared by researcher Shamma Ahmed Al-Qutba. The study highlights the vital role of art in the lives of women and children in conflict zones, where art becomes an expressive tool that helps them face trauma and build their identities amid destruction.The study explains that art is not merely a tool for creativity; it transforms into a means of survival and resistance under harsh conditions. Women and children in conflict-affected communities use drawing, music, and handicrafts as a way to express pain, overcome psychological trauma, and rebuild hope.The study discusses how art enables women in conflict zones to overcome social restrictions and fears stemming from violence and oppression. Art provides them with a safe outlet to express their suffering, offering them an opportunity to challenge repressive systems and regain control over their lives, despite the challenges and risks.The study also highlights how children use art as a means to create safe, imaginative worlds that compensate for their harsh reality. Through drawing and colours, children express their fears and dreams, finding an outlet that restores their sense of control over their lives despite the conditions of war and displacement.Furthermore, the study points out that women and children in conflict zones often utilize available resources, such as ruined walls or simple tools, to create artworks that carry messages of hope and defiance. For example, it cites the case of a girl named "Sophia," who used handkerchiefs and worn-out bags as drawing tools, transforming the surrounding destruction into colorful symbols replete with hope.The study stresses the importance of providing resources, as well as artistic and psychological support, to women and children in conflict zones. It emphasizes the necessity for the international community to engage in funding and supporting these initiatives to ensure the continuity of creative spaces that contribute to healing communities affected by conflicts and rebuilding hope in them.TRENDS study underscores that art, even in the darkest circumstances, constitutes an indomitable human force. It is not merely a means of expression; it is a tool for healing, resistance, and reclaiming hope.
The study calls for increasing global attention to these creative voices and supporting initiatives that enable women and children to use art as a means of survival and to express their powerful stories.
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