Ways of raising awareness – Elahe Zivardar

An award-winning Iranian artist, architectural designer, journalist and documentary filmmaker, Elahe Zivardar lives in Arizona, United States, where she obtained refugee status in 2019. After fleeing Iran, Elahe Zivardar was detained on the remote island of the Republic of Nauru for attempting to seek asylum in Australia from 2013 to 2019. During her detention in Nauru, she was highly active in using photos and video to document the horrific treatment and conditions endured by people seeking asylum and imprisoned offshore. An artist using diverse techniques, including painting, photography and documentary filmmaking, Elahe Zivardar seeks to depict and raise awareness on how refugee, stateless and migrant minorities are treated throughout the migration process, especially at borders. In addition to her art, she is active as an adviser to international refugee rights campaigns and organisations in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.