UNESCO Ghana Representative, Mr. Diallo Abdourahamane and Alessandra Olivia, Deputy Head of Mission of the Italian Embassy with some invited guests jointly cut the ribbon to officially launch the mural.
Photo: © UNESCO/George Koranteng
The graffiti mural in Accra is to amplify awareness on the need for access to quality information on migration amongst young people.
Funded by the Italian government under the “Empowering Young People in Africa through Media and Communication’ project and through “Fondo Africa”, a financial instrument aimed at supporting interventions to revive dialogue and cooperation between Italy and the African countries considered to be a priority for migration flows including Ghana.
Welcoming participants at the launch, the UNESCO Ghana Country Representative, Mr. Diallo Abdourahamane stated that, the media play a crucial role in raising awareness on the risks related to migration, as well as providing the necessary information to empower youth to make informed choices regarding their future.
He also used the opportunity to show appreciation to Ghana Graffiti for communicating through art. “The artwork is all about sensitizing and communicating on regular and irregular migration to the youth,” he added.
Part of the Graffiti Mural.
Photo: © UNESCO/George Koranteng
A representative from the International Organization for Migration, Mr. Collins Yeboah, welcomed the initiative in support of IOM's work.
The Deputy Head of Mission of the Italian Embassy, Alessandra Oliva, read a message on behalf of the Italian Ambassador. She reiterated the Italian government’s commitment in supporting stakeholders in tackling the issue of irregular migration in the country through quality access to information.
The colorful mural depicts the concept of regular and irregular migration. According to Mohammed Awudu, President of Ghana Graffiti, the mural represents the desire by the youth to seek accurate information before leaving the country. A victim of irregular migration, Mohammed narrated his story of how he was enticed by the experiences of his neighbours who traveled abroad. He expressed deep concerns for the many young people in his community who continue to take risks to reach other countries for greener pastures.