On 20 December 2019, I hosted my first ever art & poetry exhibition. The theme was: ‘We Belong Everywhere’ and it turned out to be one of the most incredible moments of my life to date.
About 40 people came, mainly friends and family, supporters from near and far. A small affair by all accounts especially considering the upfront investment in time, money, and energy. Yet, an exhilarating experience personally and a key chapter of the ‘Be Beyond Borders’ journey and ever-changing and ever-forming philosophy.
With the above in mind, many of those who attended – and perhaps you too – wondered and asked: why on earth did you decide to work this project in your spare time for an entire year? Couldn’t you just chill, watch TV-series, or have a drink like everybody else?! Note: I did do all of these things too, trust me.
Good question
Actually, I was talking about this with my partner on my way to work the day before the exhibition. Absolutely drained and anxious, I confessed that I didn’t even remember why I was doing this in the first place…
Overwhelming indignation
And then it hit me like an eruption of boiling anger!!! ‘We Belong Everywhere’ came about because I was tired of the ‘I vs. them’ wars. Call me naive if you please but the fact that we, humans, put borders between ourselves to divide the world – our home – in tiny little parts doesn’t make any sense.
Absolute incomprehension
Birds can fly as they please but we – eligibly the most intelligent of all species – cannot move beyond invisible lines without a piece of paper
Utopian intention
So, with this exhibition I wanted to challenge the status quo and put the message out there that borders are absurd and a world without borders is both a possibility and a necessity. We are all humans and our world is one place. Issues like water, poverty, climate change can only be assessed and addressed at a global level. Let’s all come together as one diverse team composed of our best talents across all disciplines and problem solve openly and honestly globally. We do it successfully in multinational companies already – so why not replicate the approach?
Small contribution
Now, I know the idea of a world without borders is such a HUGE topic – and a controversial one too. All I’ve got so far are a few books and pieces of art. But this is only the beginning and a small contribution to the mission that lives within me. I must do SOMETHING and hope that sharing this message through my writing, my art, and beyond will add to other voices, connect likeminded people, and eventually lead to changing the world for the better.
As first self-proclaimed citizen, Garry Davis, eloquently puts it: “We, the people, want the peace which only a world government can give.”