What Works
www.magnumfoundation.org/what-works
The Magnum Foundation What Works project brings together nine photographers from Iran, Ukraine, Slovenia, Syria, India, Ecuador, China, and the Philippines to explore tolerance through rigorous and creative visual narratives. Collectively, the projects address bridge-building amongst groups that might otherwise be in conflict. What Works is a collective project created by members of Magnum Foundation’s network of regional photographers who have received training through their Photography and Human Rights Program.
The Skin of Palestine
by Santiago Arcos
For Latin American soccer fans, the uniform of a beloved team is like a second skin. Palestine’s skin is found more than 8,000 miles from home—in Chile. Club Deportivo Palestino was founded in 1920 by Palestinian Christian refugees in Santiago. The soccer team won the 1955 and 1978 league titles and has been called the “second national team” by President Mahmoud Abbas. Around 400,000 people of Palestinian descent reside in Chile today, making it the largest Palestinian community outside the Arab world.
Kashmiriyat
by Poulomi Basu
In 1998, during the height of militancy in Kashmir, India, 23 Hindu Pandits were executed by Muslim gunmen disguised as soldiers. Just a few miles from the site of the killing is a quiet temple, where the annual festival of Kheer Bhawani brings together Muslims and Hindus in the spirit of tolerance and brotherhood. Though religious violence has driven much of the Pandit community out of Kashmir, more than 20,000 Pandits make pilgrimage to the temple each year for Kheer Bhawani and are openly welcomed by the local Muslim community.
Classrooms of Hope
by Xyza Bacani Cruz
Mindanao in the Philippines is wrought with violence between the Moro National Liberation Front, Al Qaeda-influenced Abu Sayaf and the government’s Christian military. Klasrum ng Pag-Asa (Classroom of Hope) provides a safe space at the center of a decades-long conflict. Christian and Muslim children study together at the school, surrounded by colorful murals depicting peace in one of the most war-torn provinces in the country.
Jesus In Iran
by Abbas Hajimohammadi
Armenian Christians have lived peacefully in Iran for more than 400 years and represent the largest non-Muslim community in the country. While Armenians have faced some conflict with Iranian authorities over education, language and other rights, Christianity is officially recognized by the Ira-nian government and Armenians are free to practice their religious ceremonies alongside their Mus-lim neighbors.
Back Home
by Eman Helal
On August 14, 2013, supporters of Muslim Brotherhood President Mohamed Morsi raided 65 churches across Egypt. In Delga, a small village south of Cairo, the militia set fire to Christian houses, forcing approximately 150 families to flee and settle in other cities. Three months later, the Egyptian army regained control over the towns that were attacked. Christian survivors of the sectarian violence returned to Delga, where they now live among the majority Muslim community.
Uyghur and Han Kids in Football School
by Yuyang Liu
Uyghur separatist forces have led violent protests regularly in China since 2009, breeding distrust between various Chinese ethnic groups and the Uyghur Muslim minority. R&F Soccer School in Guangzhou, the southeast coastal region of China, offers a select number of full-tuition scholarships to Uyghur children between 6 and 13 years old, who travel more than 5,000 kilometers from their home province to live, play and build relationships with young Han Chinese athletes.
Solidarity, Not Charity
by Manca Juvan
More than 400,000 migrants crossed over the border into Slovenia between fall 2015 and spring 2016. Most were fleeing oppressive regimes in Syria and Afghanistan. This project examines the individual Slovenian volunteers who welcomed these refugees into the country, providing food, shelter, and other forms of assistance. What does it mean to be driven by empathy rather than charity, deeply invested in the fates of strangers?
Homeland In Exile
by Anastasia Vlasova
After the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, Crimean Tatars (a Turkic group of Sunni Muslims) were forced to leave their homes and relocate to the predominantly Christian Western Ukraine. The mayor of Lviv was the first to invite the Tatars to his city; local families hosted refugees and provided the Crimeans with food and clothing. Despite pervasive prejudice throughout the country, the Tatars have been able to build community and integrate peacefully.
Talk to A Muslim
by Muyi Xiao
Every week, one Massachusetts couple parks themselves in front of the Cambridge Public Library with free coffee, Dunkin’ Donuts and a large sign that prompts: “Ask a Muslim.” Mona Haydar is a Syrian American Muslim from Michigan, and her husband Sebastian is a convert to Islam. In an effort to combat fear and prejudice toward Muslims in America, Mona and Sebastian invite passersby to ask questions about Islam and engage in constructive dialogue.