Colors of Warka
was on view in the Exhibit Hall of the Department of State, Washington, DC, in celebration of Women's History Month
March 2010
The U.S. Diplomacy Center is honored to present these heartfelt paintings by the Iraqi women of Muthanna province. What began as a public diplomacy project captured the voices and aspirations of many of the participating artists for the first time in their lives. To quote Aaron Snipe, the U.S. Public Diplomacy Officer who headed up the project: “Very few of the women had formal art training. Painting was a hobby for all, a creative outlet for some, and an escape for others.” In organizing the original exhibit, his goal was to engage a demographic within this conservative southern province that had traditionally been overlooked. In the process a story of courage, respect and empowerment emerged.
Please enjoy the slideshow below featuring all the paintings in this exhibit. Please also view this short video about how the paintings traveled out of Iraq to the Department of State. Though this was a civilian project sponsored by the PRT, in places such as Iraq, diplomats sometimes rely upon military transport and personnel in completing their missions. USDC is grateful to all involved who handled this unique delivery with much care. Contact us with further questions at usdc@state.gov.
