“Resilience and Inclusion” Art Exhibition opens for World Refugee Day

An art exhibition themed “Resilience and Inclusion” opened today at the Modern Art Museum’s Gebrekristos Desta Center in Addis Ababa to mark World Refugee Day 2026.

The group exhibition features works by seven refugee artists — five men and two women — from Eritrea, Somalia, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq.

Through paintings and other creative pieces, the artists reflect on life in exile, their hopes for the future and the resilience required to rebuild their lives.

Organizers said the exhibition aims to highlight the importance of refugees’ socio-cultural and economic inclusion while also creating a space for dialogue and mutual understanding. They said the artworks amplify refugee voices and underscore the role refugees play in the community.

The exhibition was jointly organized by several partner organizations working on refugee protection and support. It opened on Friday, June 19, and will remain on public display until June 21, 2026, at the Gebrekristos Desta Center in the compound of Addis Ababa University’s College of Business and Economics.

The opening ceremony was attended by art enthusiasts, refugee advocates and representatives of various institutions.