Mural Arts Exchange Launches in Democratic Republic of Congo

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Artworks Terry Harvey, Meridian’s Director of Exhibitions, viewed during an exhibition opening at Texaf Bilembo Cultural Centre in Kinshasa.

There is no denying it: art and culture are social drivers in the community. Using art for community engagement exists as a means for reaching not only artists, but also the youth and marginalized communities. Through a cooperative agreement, Meridian and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) at the U.S. Department of State have selected four American artists to travel to Colombia, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to participate in a cultural exchange.

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Democracy in Action: Int’l Visitors Observe Election Day 2014

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International visitors observed elections across the United States during the November 4th mid-term elections.

On Tuesday, November 4th, visitors from around the world participating in a variety of our programs gathered at various polling stations across the United States to witness democracy in action. These visitors were on both the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and our GlobalConnect projects. Visitors observed elections in 10 cities: Sacramento, California, Manchester, New Hampshire, Raleigh, North Carolina, Louisville, Kentucky, Minneapolis, Minnesota, San Antonio, Texas, New York, New York, Annapolis, Maryland, Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

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Next Stop – Texas!

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Zeinab Al Hashemi: Pearl Tale

The Meridian International Center and the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are excited to unveil the second US location of Past Forward: Contemporary Art from the Emirates exhibition. The art exhibit will be on display in Fort Worth and Dallas through December 2, 2014 before the exhibition continues on its 18-month tour across the United States. Paintings, photographs, sculptures, video installations, and other media by 25 notable Emirati artists help showcase the creativity radiating throughout the Emirati art scene and highlight the development and history of the UAE. Each piece of art tells a different story about...

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“We Stand With You” — President Obama Recognizes IVLP Participants at CGI

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Visitors stand together in front of the New York City skyline.

Over 1,000 advocates, political leaders, and non-profit executives gathered in New York City on September 23rd for the 10th annual Clinton Global Initiative, where they witnessed President Obama illustrate America’s commitment to empowering and supporting civil society. In the President’s speech, he highlighted the extraordinary work of three International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) participants, Sopheap Chak of Cambodia, John Gad of Egypt, and Miriam Canales Flores of Honduras, for pushing forward their missions during perilous times. They are champions for human rights, fighters for at-risk youth, and artists using their talents to strengthen civil society.

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