In conjunction with the 2012 San Francisco Partnership Walk, an art contest featured the work of students on the theme of ending poverty and promoting pluralism. The San Francisco Walk took place on October 14, 2012 and was part of the national Partnership Walk, an initiative of the Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) to raise awareness and funds for alleviating global poverty.

Winning art piece by Nabiha Jiwani displayed at the San Francisco Partnership Walk.

“The message I wanted to get across in my art was for everyone to embrace humanity,” said Nabiha Jiwani, a high school junior at Dougherty Valley High School, San Ramon, California.

“Every individual, whether rich or poor, big or small,” she added, “we all have the capability to achieve anything we want to. Nothing can hold us back.”

Jiwani won the San Francisco Partnership Walk’s Creative Arts Contest in the senior grades category. The contest was established this year for students to express their beliefs on the themes of pluralism and ending global poverty, especially in developing countries. Young artists articulated their views in creative and sometimes abstract ways, inspiring others to show that anyone can make a difference.

Jiwani created her piece by melting dark colored crayons around a red heart in the center of the canvas and then surrounded the heart with rose petals. She chose to use crayons for added visual enhancement and the petals to soften the picture. The contrasts of light and dark, with the textured wax and rose petals, reflected the theme of embracing all types of humanity.

“My inspiration was creating art for a worthwhile cause. I wanted to relay the message of peace and hope.” Twenty-five participants like Nabiha were inspired by the Partnership Walk and the opportunity to display their vision of pluralism and ending global poverty to the more than 1,000 people attending the Walk. The young people were encouraged by the challenge to create artwork with positive messages that embrace hope, love, and peace across the globe.

The artwork showed another side of what the Partnership Walk strives for. Along with demonstrating the theme of global change, the Creative Arts Contest expressed how people should bring about that change: by accepting each other’s differences and coming together.

“I think this piece ties in with the idea of promoting pluralism.” said Jiwani, “Differences are what make us each unique. Different cultures, different religions, different languages, different ways of life should all be accepted. We should adapt to new ideas and spread the wealth of knowledge. We should learn about both the east and the west so that there is no room for ignorance.”

Though their artwork, these young artists have illustrated the power of pluralism and its capability to change the world for the better.

Misbah Surani and Zahra Surani are students at Milpitas High School in Milpitas, California; Zahra Hajee is a student at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont; and Nabiha Jiwani is a student at Dougherty Valley High School in San Ramon.