InspIre creatIve actIvIsm around you

The Platform of Human Rights Organisations in Malta presents Sip of Art: Inspire Creative Activism Around You

Project Leader: Antonella Sgobbo, PHROM Secretariat Officer

The Platform of Human Rights Organisations in Malta (PHROM) is a national network of NGOs working to strengthen human rights in Malta. It is registered as a voluntary organisation with the Malta Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations, and its mission is to provide a national forum for human rights organisations to more effectively develop, promote and advocate for the values of human dignity and equality.

‘Rhea Bldg’,1A, Triq is-Santissima Trinita,Ħamrun, MRS 2280,Malta

Telephone: + 356 2010 6295 Fax: + 356 2010 6296Email: info@humanrightsplatform.org.mtWeb: www.humanrightsplatform.org.mt

Sip of Art Logo designers: Emmanuel Tut Rah Farah, Alessandro TeseiPhotos credit: Antonella SgobboArt materials: Galea’s Art Callery, 70, South Street/221, Strait Street, Valletta

The views, opinions and/or findings contained within this report are those of PHROM itself and, unless otherwise stated, do not necessarily represent the views of all PHROM Member Organisations.

Copyright © Platform of Human Rights Organisations in Malta, June 2016. Reproduction is permitted, provided that appropriate reference is made to the source.

Foreward

‘Sip of Art’ aims to bridge art and human rights. The initiative uses the power of Art to give human rights a voice, an expression, a moment to reflect, to open an intimate space for everyone and let the imagination wonder.

The project is funded by Arts Council Malta, through the Creative Communities fund. It creates an interaction between the community and the coffee shops in Malta, with the aim of triggering processes of creative activism. Four coffee shops around Malta gave patrons the chance to exchange a cup of tea or a morning coffee for an artwork about human rights.

Following an extensive call for interest, four coffee shops agreed to participate in ‘Sip of Art’: The Grassy Hopper in Valletta and in Gżira, Ġugar in Valletta, Bongo Nyah in Marsaskala and Flora’s Café in Naxxar. PHROM provided them with colouring pencils, pens, and notebooks. It was great to see how the coffee shops’ owners and staff felt immediately committed to the activity, reserving a space in their shops for ‘Sip of Art’ and disseminating news of the initiative. For the four months ‘Sip of Art’ was present in the coffee shops, these were given full flexibility in how to run the project on their premises so as to ensure that ‘Sip of Art’ was given full exposure whilst also becoming an integral part of the shops’ daily activities.

PHROM is extremely happy to close the project by publishing all the artistic contributions in this art book: ‘Sip of Art: Inspire creative activism around you’.

A heartfelt thanks to all the owners and staff of the participating coffee shops, and to all creative activists who sipped their teas and coffees!

Neil FalzonPHROM Head of Secretariat

• aditus foundation• African Media Music Association• Amputees4Amputees• Breaking Limits• Deaf People Association• Din L-Art Ħelwa• DRACHMA• Fondazzjoni Mid-Dlam għad-Dawl• Foundation for Support and Shelter

to Migrants• Gender Liberation• Inspire Foundation• Integra Foundation• Jesuit Refugee Service• Kunsill Studenti Universitarji• Libya Foundation for Rehabilitation

• Malta Humanist Association• Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement• Migrant Women Association Malta• National Foster Care Association• Organisation for Friendship in

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MEMBER ORGANIzATIONS

PHROM’s mission is to provide a national forum for human rights organisations in Malta to develop, promote and advocate for the values of human dignity and equality more effectively. As Malta’s first and only platform which brings together 30 NGOs working on human rights issues, PHROM provides member organisations with a strong and united voice on areas of concern. PHROM understands that active citizenship and participation based on democratic principles of inclusivity and mutual understanding are central to national, regional and international efforts to combat inequality and human

rights violations and improve community empowerment.

coFFee shops

Ġugar! - Hangout and Bar is a co-operative effort between a group of friends who wanted to create a space for good living...a place where community can hang-out, enjoy a warm cup of tea or coffee, a beer or indulge into some of our delicious snacks. Among lots of other stuff, you will find a small but interesting library, gallery art by emerging local artists and a welcoming, friendly atmosphere. Those looking for an inexpensive delicious healthy snack or a nutrient packed smoothie or juice are in for luck! The word “Ġugar!” comes from the Hindi concept of “Jugaar” [जुगाड़] Although there is no exact English equivalent of the word, essentially, “Jugaar” means to come up with a creative solution for any problem you might encounter. Jugaar is the art of making things work. It is hybridity for the sake of a will/can-do philosophy. An innovation of desperation, if you will. It is to be flexible, to improvise and to make do with what you have. A large part of “Ġugar!” relies on hope and dreams...

As for our experience with the Sip of Art, I think it was a good experiences in getting people to become creative in terms of human rights. It made people think on the subject. In our case it also provided a few people who didn’t have enough money to get a cup of tea of coffee by being creative.

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Bongo Nyah is a lovely decorated place situated in the fishing village of Marsascala. Opened its doors 18 months ago and offers a new kind of concept for the Maltese islands. From a fusion of food from around the world ranging from the healthy options to the guiltier ones. Topping it all up with a good selection of cocktails, artisanal teas and coffee. We also host regular alternative events like literature nights, stand up comedies and a whole lot of other events throughout the whole year. This is our cosy living room.

Well done to all who took this initiative and I hope that this will not be the last. We really need to find alternative ways in which we must educate the general public, and this definitely was a thumbs up :)

The Grassy Hopper was first launched in October 2013 with a mobile vegetarian kiosk situated in Ta’ Xbiex. Soon after, the success of the initial outlet led to project number 2 - the conversion of a Pastizzeria in Valletta into Grassy Hopper #2: bringing vegetarian options to the city. As of December 2014 we have also opened a Cafeteria in Gzira, expanding our services to include the facility of eating in, and in late 2015 we moved to bigger premises in Valletta to provide more space and seating. The kiosk - our roots, is still used for public events and private functions. We believe that the food we eat is one of the foundations of how happy and fulfilling our lives can be. If we eat food full of nutrients, energy

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and cleansing properties, the level of passion and commitment we can bring to our lives will increase accordingly. Our menu items are carefully chosen to give you high quality carbs and food with a low glycemic index (GI), without refined sugars and starches. We use superfoods and superherbs wherever we can to ensure that all our food packs a punch! Conserving the nutrients of your food is one of our highest priorities as well as offering options that will allow you to enjoy a balanced diet. Our food is 100% vegetarian and is also mostly vegan. We use fresh, local and seasonal ingredients where possible and often source our vegetables from Organic or Pesticide Free Farmers. We are on a mission to give vegetarian options which are both tasty and filling. We use eco-friendly packaging that was sourced sustainably and is 100% compostable. In collaboration with dedicated customers and friends we send our organic waste and packaging to an organic farm to be turned into first class compost. We are working hard to create new systems and collaborations to facilitate a transition to a more sustainable food system. For us vegetarianism and permaculture are two important movements within this process. Our mission is to provide a good base, through vegetarian healthy food, for people to really be happy and achieve all they dream of with their lives.

First of all, thanks for including us in the project, it was a very nice experience for us and all the staff at the Hopper :) It was really nice to see people taking the time to sit down and savour their coffee or tea while thinking about the topic of human rights and expressing themselves creatively. We’ve seen everyone participating, from the very young to older, to whole families drawing and colouring :)

Our favourite contribution must be the Inspiration Bottle (see photo attached) that was made by one of our customers of our outlet in Gzira, who, after learning about the Sip of Art project, came back with this invention made from recycled materials found at the Grassy Hopper, (an empty glass water bottle and some left over receipt roll) and made this Inspiration Bottle with inspiring quotes and little pieces of wisdom, where people could take out a message from the bottle and/or could leave a message for others to take :) It has now become a much loved piece of the furniture!

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Flora’s is a vintage tearoom set in a beautiful townhouse just opposite the Naxxar Church. Flora’s makes the prettiest (and tastiest) home-made cakes, cupcakes and sweet treats on the island. Flora’s also serves breakfast, sandwiches and salads and delicious afternoon teas. A great place for tea, coffee, cake and conversation.

We really enjoyed being part of the ‘sip of art project’. It was a very innovative way of getting people involved and really thinking about human rights by getting them to express their ideas on the subject in an artistic way in exchange for a cup of coffee.

“I firmly believe in the transformative and unifying power of creativity. Art is not a luxury, much less is it a commodity. The societal results of personal and collective expression may not be immediately tangible, but that is because art, literature, creativity in general work on consciousness, and the effects are long-term. The major shift in consciousness towards a borderless planet based on human equality may be slow in coming, but through artistic expression, the powerless can unite to demolish mental, ideological and emotional walls faster than they are going up.”

Antoine Cassar, Poet and creative activist

If the sun drownsIf the sun drowns in a sea of clouds And extends a wave of darkness onto the world And vision dies in the eyes of the vigilant And the road is lost in lines and circles O shrewd traveller in straight lines and in circles, You have no guide but the eyes of speech

Ahmed Fouad Negm (1929-2013; Cairo, Egypt)Egyptian poet famous for his patriotic and revolutionary Egyptian Arabic Poetry

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a specIal thanks goes to

GabrielaValentin

Pandora JonesAnne & Lisa

Salvador de Bahia Diogo Pinto

TommyLisa M. Kähler

MircoEric Attard

DanCarl Caruana

Shel SilversteinStefanSabrinaDaniela

Linda VassalloSarah Olivia St Clair

Hollie RebeccaJeannie K. Wright

MariaTrudie Wegner

Alessandro RestelliValentina Visintin

Yogi PauloAdel Shad

And to all those who participated in this project

A special thanks to Erika Borg

InspIre creatIve actIvIsmaround you!

PHROM, Platform of Human Rights Organizations in Malta through Sip of Art project encourages everyone to reconnect with that forgotten poetic voice inside of them and giving everyone’s voice equal value. Art contributes to the expansion of our common humanity, helping to increase its strength, solidarity and self-awareness, especially when we are giving form and words to the human rights.