Dubai (UAE): Liter of Light, a social enterprise based in the UAE, is one of the 12 international artists whose large-scale hand-built solar art installation will be exhibited at the Pyramids of Giza this November. The objective of the project is to create one of the largest climate actions powered by youth in the MENA region. This exhibition comes at a pivotal moment for the MENA region as the next international climate change conferences, COP27 and COP28, hosted by Egypt in 2022 and the United Arab Emirates in 2023.

This community-built artwork is done in partnership with Morocco-based SHEMS for Lighting and combines the skills of UNESCO artisans from Safi, Morocco; and 1200 youth from schools and the Rotaract Clubs in the UAE, as well as youth from Egypt who built the circuits by hand as part of the “Light It Forward” challenge. Modeled after the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, the initiative invites youth, corporate partners, and members of the private sector to do their part to solve energy poverty by giving 30 minutes of their time to build solar lighting circuits by hand.

The artwork is a representation with the words “The Power Is Yours” pointing in the direction of the pyramids, with 17 rays of sunlight each representing one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which promotes the protection of the environment and the preservation of human life. It incorporates ancient Egyptian symbols for energy and life. 

Each light built is accompanied by a handwritten message expressing dreams and hopes for the planet.

The hand-built solar lights will be showcased in Egypt, where Liter of Light was invited to feature its work at “Art d’Egypte: Forever is Now II”, the second edition of the prestigious art exhibition at the Giza Pyramids in Egypt. The parallel project is being unveiled in November to coincide with the global climate change conference, COP27, that Egypt is hosting this month. Founder Illac Diaz is an Emirati resident and private sector representative to the conference for the UAE. 

“As our region gets ready to host COP27 and COP28  in 2022 and 2023, we want to lend our voices to the dialogue on climate change solutions,” says Illac Diaz, Founder of Liter of Light in the UAE. “This artwork is inspired by the first multi-cultural environmental hero called Captain Planet, who as a young man inspired me, and showed a generation of change makers what’s possible when we combine our powers to save the planet. 

By engaging youth and the community in our work, we are pioneering a new kind of engagement, where technical know-how for climate action meets creative expression.”

This project is made possible through the sponsorship of MDRT Foundation and UNESCO’s International Day of Light, with media partners Yalla TV and Bhutani Infra, and is under the patronage of His Excellency Suhail Muhammad Al Zarooni. 

“The members of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) are proud to partner with Liter of Light through their MDRT Foundation,” says Adrian P. Baker, DipPFS, 2023 President of the MDRT Foundation. “Our hope is that this exhibit inspires people in Africa and around the world to bring light to those living in darkness while also raising awareness about sustainable energy.”

Nadine Abdel Ghaffar, Founder of Culturvator/ Art D’Egypte says: “We are so thrilled to announce that Liter of Light are participating in a parallel project in Forever Is Now II at the Pyramids of Giza Plateau with hand built solar artworks, in parallel to COP27 happening in Egypt while aligning the vision of Art D’Egypte following the strategy of climate change”.

After the installation at the Giza Pyramids, the lights will be distributed to communities living with little to no access to electricity in the region. Each hand-built solar light reduces carbon emissions by 1000 kg over five years by replacing kerosene lamps with clean, sustainable 

About Liter of Light:

Working in 32 countries with over 2,700 youth ambassadors, Liter of Light is one of the largest organizations that works with youth to engage companies in Europe, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa on building simple and repairable solar lights, mobile charging systems, and street lights. Using materials from within each community, the organization, an ambassador for UNESCO’s International Day of Light, has empowered the lives of over one million people a year, while creating opportunities for green micro business, and lowering carbon emissions by 1000kg per hand-built solar lamp. Liter of Light was selected as one of 120 Global Innovators for the EXPOLive Impact Innovation Grant program at EXPO2020 in Dubai in 2020. It was awarded the Zayed Future Energy Prize in 2015.

VIDEO: Messages for the Planet – International Installations

About Art d’Egypte:

Art D’Égypte is a privately owned Egyptian multidisciplinary firm founded by Nadine Abdel Ghaffar to support the Egyptian arts and culture scene. It provides art consultancies to institutions, corporations and private collectors as well as curatorial services to public spaces and private entities. Art D’Égypte aims to bridge the gap between Egyptian artists and the world and to support young artists and artists with scarce funds to get their work displayed and published. Cataloguing Egypt’s modern and contemporary art heritage is a further goal of the company through the development of documentaries on modern Egyptian artists.

By raising awareness, the team’s target is to help preserve Egypt’s heritage and advance the international profile of modern and contemporary Egyptian art, presenting a different view of Egypt to the world. Every aspect of Art D’Égypte’s projects is designed with sustainability and community in mind. This commitment to inclusivity and accessibility aligns with UNESCO’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions and has resulted in Art D’Égypte operating under UNESCO patronage since 2019.

About UNESCO International Day of Light:

The International Day of Light is celebrated on 16 May each year, the anniversary of the first successful operation of the laser in 1960 by physicist and engineer, Theodore Maiman. This day is a call to strengthen scientific cooperation and harness its potential to foster peace and sustainable development.

Disclaimer: This story is provided by Sequent Media House and distributed by Digpu News Network.