The Creative Caribbean Project, implemented by UNESCO, CARICOM and the University of the West Indies with funding from the ACP-EU Culture Programme, is funding the Observatory Caribbean Migrants (OBMICA) as they execute a project which will provide a platform for creative expression around the themes of identity, belonging, nationality, and statelessness in the Caribbean.
This initiative is spearheaded by Kamilah Morain, Maria Cristina Fumagalli, and Bridget Wooding. Project Coordinator Kamilah Morain brings nearly two decades of experience in humanitarian and international development, with a passion for using culture and the arts to promote human rights. Maria Cristina Fumagalli, a University Professor at Essex, UK, is a literary scholar known for her cultural studies of the Dominico-Haitian border. OBMICA Director Bridget Wooding, based in Santo Domingo, anchors the project with extensive experience in Caribbean social justice advocacy.
Through collaborations with photographers, videographers, journalists, and cultural experts, OBMICA uses artistic mediums to reframe and contextualize issues surrounding migration and statelessness. The project will amplify the voices of writers, particularly those with connections to Haiti and the Caribbean, as they share personal, historical, and imaginative narratives as well as foster dialogue and reflection on the broader implications of statelessness, the dilution of citizenship principles and rights and the lack of participation and people in the processes and its effects on the individuals and communities involved.
The project evolved from the Constitutional Court ruling rendered in September 2013, in the Dominican Republic where at least 133,000 Dominicans of Haitian descent became stateless. This ruling left many without access to fundamental human rights tied to citizenship. While this situation represents one of the most severe instances of statelessness in the Caribbean, challenges to inclusive citizenship persist throughout the region and its diaspora.
The project seeks to collaborate with Caribbean and diaspora artists, focusing on creative writing and visual arts, to address these issues. The creators will retain the rights to their work, with proceeds from the first edition prints reinvested into local organizations working to restore nationality rights. Beyond financial contributions, the initiative aims to amplify artists' voices, expand their professional networks, and foster cross-regional collaboration.
An Open Call will be issued on December 27, 2024, to poets and creative writers across the Caribbean and its diaspora, inviting them to explore themes of statelessness, displacement, and resistance. Writers will be invited to explore questions such as:
- What does it mean to exist without recognition from any state?
- How do Caribbean bodies navigate spaces from which they have been dispossessed?
The resulting works will be translated into English, Haitian Creole, and Spanish and published in a multilingual collection. Proceeds from the first edition will directly support affected communities, with the initiative partnering with Dominican@s por Derecho, a civil society platform advocating for the restitution of nationality rights.
Over an estimated six-month period, OBMICA will collaborate with local and regional partners to promote the selected works. Beyond this initial phase, OBMICA plans to launch a digital platform to ensure long-term sustainability and continued engagement.
The digital platform will serve as a space for ongoing dialogue, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. OBMICA aims to build strategic partnerships with Caribbean academic and creative organizations to reinforce cross-sector cooperation. This effort aligns with the goals of the Global Alliance to End Statelessness, which was launched in October 2024 following the conclusion of the #IBelong Campaign.
Through this project, OBMICA seeks not only to raise awareness about statelessness but also to empower Caribbean artists and advocate for systemic change, ensuring equal access to rights and opportunities for all citizens of the region.
For information and submissions email: Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo. and Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo.
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