Displaying community expressions and Documenting Collective Memory Shifts In Sudan
For centuries, Sudan has been a nation fractured by cultural exclusion, marginalization, and systemic non-inclusiveness, this divisions produced both reality and memory, where communities remain fragmented along ethnic, regional, and ideological lines. Sudan's social complications, which have contributed to the repeated cycles of wars and conflicts, has been shaped by shattered social fabric, and poor diversity practices, rooted in lack of representation, recognition of others and acceptance of others' culture.​
In mid-April 2023, another devastating war broke out in the Sudan, leaving behind deep loss of casualties, massive displacement, and partial or complete destruction of cultural establishments, a complete suspension of cultural work, the closure of art galleries, and a shock to cultural/ Community actors and artists represented by: Their displacement and loss of their resources and artworks. This absence of artistic production and cultural interaction constitutes a devastating blow to the core of the national identity, historical heritage, and the collective memory of the Sudanese people.
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Sudan Resilience Expressions (SRE) is a project that comes as a response to these urgent challenges, and the need to keep an eye on Sudan narratives, especially in light of the current war and the political, social, economic and cultural challenges. The project aims to build community peace and promote the spirit of unity among Sudanese by providing comprehensive platforms to display community and cultural expressions.
The project provide platforms for dialogue and community interactions, and includes intensive efforts to display community expressions, document collective memory shifts, maintain the flow of accessible cultural and artistic interactions during war times in Sudan, by providing a interactive space to exhibit what shapes the collective memory of Sudanese. Preserving and archiving this production to help forming a dynamic national identity, and displaying all forms of flexibility, steadfastness and cultural cooperation to the Sudanese to ensure that this hard moments heritage remains available and alive for future generations.
Preserving and sharing culture and arts and promoting the right to practice them in times of war is not just a national duty, but rather part of a strategy to strengthen unity, steadfastness and community resistance.
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SRE Platforms focus on the community expressions, cultural and artistic production, yet it sheds light on the broader Sudan narrative including humanitarian situation, human rights status, peace progress, social and political interactions, reflecting on how Sudanese communities have coped with the conflict and the accompanying socio-political, economic, and cultural challenges.
How does the project interact with the general political, social and cultural context in Sudan?
SRE interacts closely with the general context in Sudan, and seeks to provide clear contributions to the challenges facing the country. In light of the ongoing war, supporting Community expressions, art and culture, providing platforms of healing and representation is an effective means to address the roots of the challenges with its social and cultural nature. It provides the tools to analyze Sudanese society, contribute to building its dynamic national identity, and promote the concepts of unity, steadfastness, and societal resilience.
Documenting and archiving cultural and artistic production contributes to preserving Sudanese collective memory and cultural heritage in the face of challenges.
The project supports writers, journalists, artists, cultural actors, and cultural institutions, contributing to empower them to continue their production and movement, and enables to safeguard this important segment of society in light of difficult times.
Continuous interaction with society through the medium of culture and art enables researchers and anthropologists to engage with the interactions and dynamics of Sudanese society, and provide better environment for data-deiven observations.
The project is considered a platform for dialogue and interaction between creatives and society, which contributes to achieving cultural communication and strengthening community ties.
Who are the participants in this project, to whom does it address?
Digitally: The project is open to all Sudanese citizens, artists, cultural actors, writers, journalists and cultural initiatives, especially those that work to promote the concept of cultural resilience and community unity and support. The project also addresses the Sudanese public who are interested in culture and art and want to participate and interact with the community expressions, cultural events and art exhibitions organized by the project.
On-ground: The project targets both displaced and host communities in the new geographical narrative all around Sudan ( Starting with the safest cities that witnessed the largest rates of displacement) due to the necessity of facilitating the process of cultural integration and reducing cultural differences.
The project also targets anthropologists, researchers, theorists and historians interested in Sudanese culture and social dynamics.
How does the project approach the concepts of the commons, cultural rights and representation, and collective ownership?
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The project approaches the concept of the commons by encouraging collaboration and mutual interaction between artists, cultural initiatives, and the community. It aims to provide platforms for free and safe expression of culture and identity, considering cooperation with the community as an essential part of its strategy.
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Promoting the right to practice, share and access culture and identity aligns with the concept of the commons which is a core value that SRE holds. It enhances a sense of collective ownership, which in turn supports the values of unity and acceptance, which we consider foundational for solving the Sudanese dilemma. SRE is inseparable from the concept of the commons, which is at the heart of the solution.
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The project adopts a "by Sudanese for Sudanese" approach, considering the cultural production process as originating from the public's experiences, and the entire acculturation process, from production to management and consumption, is by all, accessible to all, for the benefit of all.
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