New Bedford premiere of Afghan Women’s ‘Dil ba Dil Rah Dhara’ (From One Heart to Another) Art

“The SouthCoast Afghan Welcome Network and the New Bedford Free Public Library is pleased to announce the opening of a unique exhibit, Dil ba Dil Rah Dhara (From One Heart to Another): The Afghan Women’s Art Project, on Thursday, February 9, 2023 as part of the City’s AHA! Night festivities.

The exhibit showcases a range of Afghan handicrafts, ranging from fiber arts, embroidery, jewelry, decorative painting, and traditional and modern garb, and is the culmination of several months of work by six local women who came to Massachusetts as refugees in late 2021. The exhibit’s title comes from a traditional Afghan proverb: Dil ba dil rah dhara, or “From one heart to another, there is a way”, and represents the women’s desire to share samples of their country’s rich history and vibrant culture and to express their thanks to the Southeastern MA community which welcomed them as they adjusted to their new homes away from home.

The exhibit is part of the Afghan Women’s Art Project, a collaborative effort to support newly arrived refugee women as they utilized the artistic and handcrafting talents they already possessed while gaining financial literacy skills to help them develop viable sources of income. This project was made possible thanks to the Community Economic Development Center, the New Bedford Economic Development Center, MassDevelopment/TDI, and the Barr Foundation – Art is Everywhere Grant facilitated by New Bedford Creative at the NBEDC.

The Afghan Women’s Art Project will be on display at the New Bedford Free Public Library, 613 Pleasant St., New Bedford, MA, from Feb. 9, 2023 through March 23, 2023.” -SouthCoast Afghan Welcome Network.

SouthCoast Afghan Welcome Network photo.