On February 4, the US Embassy and EMK Center organised a cultural dialogue, “Can Art Make Peace?”, featuring creative practitioners from the Rohingya camps—who shared stories and reflected on making art that showcases our shared humanity.

The discussion was part of a satellite event in the Dhaka Art Summit and was held in the Adda Room of the EMK Center premises.

By bringing together five art practitioners, who are working in the Rohingya camps, the panel discussion allowed them to share their diverse experiences. Throughout the session, the artists, storytellers, musicians, and craftspeople, discussed how such artistic collaborations might promote intercommunal understanding and aid in fostering peace.

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The panellists included Tomal Hossain, a musician; Khwaja Fatmi, an architect; Rashad Wajahat, a filmmaker, and community teaching artists, Refa Akter and Beauty Akter. In an attempt to raise awareness about the ongoing Rohingya crisis, and to showcase Rohingya art, culture, music and stories, the conversations addressed the first-hand experience of being on the front lines of the largest refugee camp in the world.

The event kicked-off with the Embassy’s Cultural Attache, Sharlina Hussain-Morgan delivering the opening remarks, followed by the presentation of photos and videos highlighting Artolution’s work in the camps.

After her graduation from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Khwaja has worked with several non-profit organisations including NGO Forum, Oxfam, ActionAid, and IOM, engaging with communities across Bangladesh—from Dhaka to Jhenaidah, Ukhiya, Whykong, and Teknaf.

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