An Odyssey with Anum Farooq (Odyssey Global Media)

Introducing LiveableCitiesX #IAmACityChangemaker interview series, where they engage in conversations with changemakers from around the world.

Welcome to a special "Blue Planet" Podcast, where we explore the captivating stories and artistic visions behind this global initiative from Odyssey Global Media, celebrating the wonders of our oceans. I'm thrilled to take you on this journey of creative expression and environmental advocacy.

On July 23rd, 2024, the world came together for the grand unveiling of the "Blue Planet" global digital exhibition - an Odyssey Global Media Global Grassroots Art Event that showcased the remarkable works of artists from around the world. Each piece has been crafted to raise awareness about the importance of ocean conservation, and to inspire sustainability conversations that will protect the health of our blue planet.

In this special podcast series, we'll have the privilege of hearing directly from some of the talented artists whose work is featured in the "Blue Planet" exhibition. You'll learn about the personal experiences, environmental passions, and creative visions that have guided their artistic process. From the vibrant hues of coral reefs to the mesmerizing movements of marine life, these creatives will share the powerful messages they've woven into their captivating pieces.

In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared 15 July as World Youth Skills Day to celebrate the strategic importance of equipping young people with skills for employment, decent work and entrepreneurship, as well as for addressing global challenges and advancing sustainable development.

The theme for World Youth Skills Day 2024, "Youth Skills for Peace and Development," underscores the crucial role young people play in peacebuilding and conflict resolution.

The world faces a multitude of challenges today, many of which affect the youth. It is crucial to equip youth with the necessary skills for fostering a culture of peace, nurturing responsible global citizens, and promoting sustainable development to build a more just, inclusive, and sustainable future for all. (Source : United Nations)

Michelle Kim is a sustainability educator, youth community leader and advocate working heavily on UN SDGs & Social+Environmental pillars of sustainability. She completed her Bachelor of Science in Biology with a study focused on sustainability at the University of Alberta, and is completing her Global Development Master’s Degree at Harvard University whilst working as a sustainability, leadership, and indigenous program manager at the University of Alberta. 

Anum Farooq is an Associate of the Royal College of Science and Imperial College London alumna. She is a UN YCIG Mentor, and current MTE Climate Ambassador with an interest in nature inspired art. She holds over a decade of experience in the education sector and has partaken in youth advocacy. 

'Deafblindness is a combined vision and hearing impairment of such severity that it is hard for the impaired senses to compensate for each other. Thus, deafblindness is a distinct disability.

To varying degrees, deafblindness limits activities and restricts full participation in society. It affects social life, communication, access to information, orientation and the ability to move around freely and safely.

To help compensate for the combined vision and hearing impairment, especially the tactile sense becomes important.

Representing between 0.2% to 2% of the population, persons with deafblindness are a very diverse yet hidden group and are, overall, more likely to be poor and unemployed, and with lower educational outcomes. Because deafblindness is less wellknown and often misunderstood, people struggle to obtain the right support, and are often excluded from both development and disability programmes.'

WFDB is a global non-governmental advocacy organization by and for persons with deafblindness, aiming to improve the quality of life and protect the rights of this distinct disability group.

WFDB was established in 2001 and consists today of 75 national and associated member organizations from 67 different countries from all corners of the world.

In 2007 the organization attained consultative status at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and is a member of the International Disability Alliance (IDA) where the WFDB President serves as a member of the board.

Sanja Tarczay was born deaf in Zagreb, Croatia, and later became Deafblind.

Lucia D'Arino is the Program Advisor at the World Federation of the Deafblind

In this episode, we talk with Ghaleya Almansoori about her innovative mobile art studio, Kenaz, which she has launched in the United Arab Emirates. Kenaz is a unique initiative that blends modern art techniques with traditional regional crafts, offering hands-on workshops and creative experiences for the local community.

Ghaleya developed Kenaz as part of her graduate thesis in MA Art from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The mobile studio travels to different regions and public spaces in the Emirates, bringing high-quality art supplies and instruction directly to participants.

Through Kenaz, Ghaleya hopes to preserve cultural heritage while also inspiring creative self-expression. In our conversation, she discusses her passion for arts education, the design and logistics of the mobile studio, and the positive impact she's already seen from Kenaz's workshops. Whether you're an aspiring artist or simply appreciate the arts, this episode offers a fascinating look at how one Emirati innovator is reimagining art accessibility in the region.

Marine Tanguy : The Visual Detox

In The Visual Detox, art expert and businesswoman Marine Tanguy explains how the imagery we see shapes our wellbeing. She gives us new tools to think critically about images, combat information overload and participate more in the visual world around us by engaging with the art and content that improves our day-to-day experiences online, at work, in our homes and in public spaces.

Marine Tanguy launched Certified B Corporation, MTArt Agency in 2015, following a career in visual arts in London and LA. MTArt agency is worth £35 million and is the art sector’s leading talent agency representing some of the most talented, forward-thinking artists in the world.

The agency looks to support, promote and enable artists to work with the broadest canvas possible, from working with brands to public art and fine art institutions. The agency works with global organisations and cities, nurturing an international community of art-lovers and collectors as well as diverse brands ranging from Apple to Dior and even the World Cup.

Marine is an influencer and passionate advocate for the role of the artist in guiding the public through a world flooded with visual noise and the agency seeks to ensure artists are rightly recognised as the spokespeople for a visual age.

 As a business person, Marine was awarded Forbes 2018 30 under 30 Europe: Art & Culture, UK entrepreneur of the year for the 2019 NatWest Awards and Woman of the Year 2021 by the magazine WOTC. She is a writer and keynote speaker on contemporary art and art investment.

Her talks include two TEDx Talks on how to transform cities with art and how social media visuals affect our minds and she has recently published her first book “The Visual Detox – How to Consume Media Without Letting it Consume You” with Penguin.

Step into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence with Odyssey Global Media, where we explore the intersection of technology and humanity. In this episode, we embark on a unique journey, interviewing artificial intelligence. Prepare to be captivated as we delve into the inner workings of AI, its potential impact on society, and even explore profound philosophical questions about consciousness and the future of humanity.

Get ready for a thought-provoking conversation as we uncover:

• The intricate mechanisms of AI and its learning algorithms.

Join us as we discuss neuroaesthetics, human potential through creativity as well as redefining success through a holistic lens, amongst experiential art experiences in the insightful conversation with Francesca Ciaudano.

Noor sees mobility as an integral part of the human experience. She also experiences that globalization changes the way in which we understand our sense of belonging. The world has become our home, while this global accessibility has also outgrown our understanding of home. Noor is curious to explore how we, as individuals and societies, can strengthen our embodied sense of belonging to ourselves, our communities, and nature – regardless of the geographical location. How may we come home and feel rooted again?

At the age of 16, Noor moved by herself to New Mexico where she finished the last two years of her high school. After obtaining degrees in political science, history and international development in Germany and Switzerland, Noor moved all over the world to work with communities on matters of migration and displacement. She spoke with hundreds of people on their migratory experience, including in Libya, Chad, Iraq, Uganda, Congo, and Palestine. After more than ten years abroad, she lived through her own sense of uprootedness upon return to the Netherlands. Currently, Noor is integrating her lived experience in her work as policy maker, entrepreneur and speaker. 

Through Rooted, Noor intends to create a space where people can consciously and jointly reflect on their sense of rootedness.

Odyssey Global Media Global held a Grassroots Global Autism Conference focusing on the theme of lived experiences, and individual perspectives from a local to a global level, to carry forward the human narrative.