Healing-Centered Fundraising Exhibition for Children of Gaza Opens at AFD

An exhibit Healing-Centered Fundraising Exhibition for children of Gaza opens at AFD

The healing-centered fundraising exhibition Echoes of Hope – Children for Children, organized by HopeWave Foundation, was inaugurated on 6 January 2026 at La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka, in the presence of artists, cultural practitioners, activists, and members of the media.

The exhibition brings together drawings, handwritten letters, photographs, and project documentation created by children from Ukhiya, including refugee, indigenous, and underserved communities. Through their creative expressions, these children extend messages of empathy, resilience, and solidarity to the children of Palestine, affirming a shared humanity that transcends borders, geographies, and lived realities.

All exhibited works were developed during a three-day psychosocial art campaign conducted with children in Ukhiya. The initiative demonstrates how creative engagement can serve as a powerful space for emotional healing—allowing children living amid displacement and trauma to express hope, care, and compassion for others facing similar hardships.

Beyond its artistic and healing focus, Echoes of Hope – Children for Children also serves as a fundraising initiative for the children of Gaza. Organized in partnership with PACSOC, all contributions raised through the exhibition will be directed to the Owneh Initiative.

Speaking at the inauguration, Munimah Mahreen, poet, activist, and founder of HopeWave Foundation, said: “This exhibition is not only about charity. It is about solidarity. It is about choosing to feel, even when the world teaches us to look away. It is about believing that children’s art can still teach adults how to be human. Free Palestine. And may hope always find its way.”

Mubtasim Alvee, curator of the exhibition, remarked: “This exhibition reflects the truest form of humanity—shared empathy. Children’s thoughts and expressions are the purest form of that truth.”

François Chambraud, Director of Alliance Française de Dhaka, added: “The power of art is to show compassion between children who all suffer from today’s war and we need artists and activists to help convey hope. As a matter of fact indifference is growing and that is the very thing we need to oppose.”

About HopeWave Foundation

HopeWave Foundation creates healing-centered, culturally grounded spaces for mental-health recovery, youth engagement, and global solidarity through arts-based and psychosocial initiatives.

Founded in July 2024, HopeWave began as a community-based psychosocial support initiative, working with individuals affected by the July revolution to process trauma, rebuild resilience, and reconnect with hope.

Exhibition Details

Dates: 6–9 January 2026

Visiting Hours: 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM (Tuesday to Friday)

Venue: La Galerie, Alliance Française de Dhaka

Entry: Open to all