{"id":113591,"date":"2025-01-30T13:12:12","date_gmt":"2025-01-30T12:12:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/?p=113591"},"modified":"2025-01-30T13:14:10","modified_gmt":"2025-01-30T12:14:10","slug":"visual-crossroads-a-mascara-iowa-sister-city-initiative-led-by-the-abdelkader-education-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/en\/visual-crossroads-a-mascara-iowa-sister-city-initiative-led-by-the-abdelkader-education-project\/","title":{"rendered":"Visual Crossroads, A Mascara-Iowa Sister City initiative led by the Abdelkader Education Project"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"113591\" class=\"elementor elementor-113591\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"penci-section penci-disSticky penci-structure-10 elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-55243758 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"55243758\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"penci-ercol-100 penci-ercol-order-1 penci-sticky-ct    elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a29880\" data-id=\"a29880\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2ad0dce2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2ad0dce2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has awarded an Arts Project Grant to support <em>AEP: Visual Crossroads<\/em>, an initiative led by the\u00a0<em>Abdelkader Education Project (AEP)<\/em>, a nonprofit promoting global citizenship through education. The project pairs Algerian photographer Fethi Sahraoui and New York-based writer Sarah Goodman to explore the cultural ties between Elkader, Iowa, and its sister city, Mascara, Algeria. Set for 2025, the collaboration will use photography and storytelling to celebrate the enduring legacy of Emir Abdelkader, the 19th-century Algerian leader who inspired Elkader\u2019s founding.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-113596 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jh-71-300x248.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"298\" height=\"246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jh-71-300x248.jpg 300w, https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jh-71.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 298px) 100vw, 298px\" \/><\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-113599\" src=\"https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jh-5-300x200.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"371\" height=\"248\" srcset=\"https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jh-5-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jh-5-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jh-5-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jh-5-585x390.webp 585w, https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jh-5-263x175.webp 263w, https:\/\/jazairhope.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/jh-5.webp 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 371px) 100vw, 371px\" \/><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>A Transatlantic Bond Forged by History<\/strong><br \/>Elkader, Iowa\u2014population 1,200\u2014is the only U.S. town named after a Muslim leader: Emir Abdelkader, an Algerian hero renowned for defending religious tolerance and resisting colonial oppression. In 1984, Elkader formally partnered with Mascara, Algeria, Abdelkader\u2019s birthplace, creating a sister city relationship that honors his ideals of unity and mutual respect. This bond now serves as the foundation for\u00a0<em>Visual Crossroads<\/em>, a project bridging past and present through art.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>The Abdelkader Education Project\u2019s Role<\/strong><br \/>Founded in 2009, AEP draws on Emir Abdelkader\u2019s life to foster cultural understanding and counter prejudice through education. The organization\u2019s support for\u00a0<em>Visual Crossroads<\/em>\u00a0aligns with its mission to replace ignorance with dialogue. \u201cArt and storytelling are powerful tools for connection,\u201d says AEP\u2019s team. \u201cThis project embodies the Emir\u2019s values by highlighting shared humanity across continents.\u201d<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>Artists in Focus: Capturing Parallel Lives<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><strong>Fethi Sahraoui<\/strong>: The Algerian photographer, known for his work on migration and identity, will document daily life in Mascara and Elkader. His images will juxtapose rural Iowa\u2019s landscapes and traditions with those of northwestern Algeria.<\/li><li><strong>Sarah Goodman<\/strong>: The writer will craft narratives from interviews with residents, weaving personal stories with historical threads that link the two cities.<\/li><\/ul><p>\u201cWe\u2019re not just comparing places,\u201d Goodman explains. \u201cWe\u2019re asking how communities separated by distance can reflect similar values\u2014resilience, hospitality, and pride in their heritage.\u201d<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>Project Goals: More Than an Exhibition<\/strong><br \/><em>Visual Crossroads<\/em>\u00a0aims to:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Create Dialogue<\/strong>: A traveling photo exhibit and digital archive will debut in 2025, showcasing the cities\u2019 parallels.<\/li><li><strong>Engage Communities<\/strong>: Workshops in both cities will invite residents to contribute photos and oral histories.<\/li><li><strong>Educate<\/strong>: The project will supplement AEP\u2019s existing educational resources, which are used in classrooms worldwide to teach ethical leadership.<\/li><\/ul><p><strong>Why It Matters<\/strong><br \/>In an era of division,\u00a0<em>Visual Crossroads<\/em>\u00a0offers a hopeful model for cross-cultural collaboration. For Elkader, the project reinforces its unique identity as a small town with global roots. For Mascara, it shines a light on Algeria\u2019s rich history. Together, they demonstrate how art can turn historical connections into living conversations.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><strong>Looking Ahead<\/strong><br \/>As Sahraoui and Goodman begin their work, anticipation grows for a project that transcends borders. By celebrating Elkader and Mascara\u2019s shared inspiration\u2014Emir Abdelkader\u2014<em>Visual Crossroads<\/em>\u00a0reminds us that understanding begins with curiosity, creativity, and the courage to see ourselves in others.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>Funded by Iowa\u2019s Arts Project Grant and fueled by AEP\u2019s educational mission, <em>Visual Crossroads<\/em>\u00a0is more than an artistic endeavor\u2014it\u2019s a testament to the enduring power of cultural exchange. Through lenses and narratives, it invites the world to witness how two communities, guided by one leader\u2019s legacy, are writing a story of global kinship.<\/p><p><em>Learn more about the Abdelkader Education Project\u2019s work at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/abdelkaderproject.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">abdelkaderproject.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><p><em><strong>Hope&amp;ChaDia<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) has awarded an Arts Project Grant to support AEP: Visual Crossroads, an initiative led by the\u00a0Abdelkader&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":50,"featured_media":113592,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[15,10,16,4,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-113591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-algeria","category-art","category-education","category-featured-articles","category-historyheritage"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.7 - 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