Art as Advocacy & Hope:
World Refugee Day 2025
To mark World Refugee Day 2025, JRS Asia Pacific launched a series of creative initiatives to honour the resilience, talents, and dreams of refugee youth across the region. Through art, we sought to amplify their voices and offer a platform to express hope, identity, and the vision for a better future.
Regional Art Competitions: “My Dream Life”
This year’s celebration featured two regional art competitions inspired by the theme “My Dream Life”. The Digital Art Competition was open to refugee youths aged 14 to 19 living in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, while the Watercolour Painting Competition welcomed entries from refugee and displaced youth of the same age group based in Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Myanmar. Each submission reflected a deeply personal interpretation of the theme, often accompanied by short written pieces in which the artists explained how their dreams were captured in their artwork.
A Collaborative Judging Experience
We were honoured to have our Academic Partner, M.A.D. School, and social impact group Younite, serve as the judging panel for the Digital Art Competition. In reflecting on the experience, the panel shared: “We were deeply moved by the raw expression and thoughtful storytelling behind each piece. It’s a powerful reminder of how art can communicate what words sometimes cannot.”
Showcasing the Winning Pieces
We are proud to feature the winning pieces from the Digital Art Competition in this newsletter — a collection that not only displays remarkable artistic talent but also shares powerful stories of aspiration, identity, and hope. These works remind us that behind every canvas is a young person with dreams worth listening to, protecting, and uplifting.
A life of Peace, Purpose, and possibility
In my digital artwork, I express my dream life as a future where I live in peace, study freely, and serve my community with pride.
This artwork reflects my dream of becoming an educated, empowered leader for my people. Every colour and symbol in this piece show the journey from struggle to strength, from refugee life to a dignified life filled with opportunities, justice, and peace for all.
~ Mohammed A, 19
I made a digital art of an airport scene because in my dream life I want to be free to travel anywhere in the world.
And a hijabi girl shows my religion and the sky shows peacefulness… altogether it’s my dream life.
~ Rameeza, 17
In my dream life, I inhabit a small wooden cottage perched on a floating island, surrounded by a crystal dome. My days are spent in quiet contemplation, writing, painting, and musing about the mysteries of the universe. It’s a life of wonder, simplicity, and profound peace — just as I’ve always envisioned it would be.”
~ Payam, 16
To our young artists — thank you for your courage in sharing your stories. And to our partners, supporters, and community — thank you for standing with us and believing in the power of art to connect, advocate and inspire.