#NotACrime in Sydney: Camo Celebrates Education

#NotACrime global street art campaign teamed up with curators and street artists in New York City, as well as in Brazil, South Africa, and Australia, to produce murals highlighting the denial of higher education to Iran's Baha'i religious minority.

IranWire's new series featuring the artists and their murals will continue over the coming months as the #NotACrime project spreads to more cities around the world.

Australian artist Camo teamed up with the Baha’is of Sydney to create a mural in support of the #NotACrime campaign – defending the Baha’is’ right to education in Iran.

“I find it laughable that someone wouldn’t be allowed an education,” said Camo, chuckling. “The mural is very literal. There are locked up books next to a stencil of a person who has been denied an education.” The top book features the acronym “BIHE” — for the Baha'i Institute of Higher Education, the underground university comprised of professors and students who conduct their lectures in peoples' homes or over Skype. 

Because the institute is underground, there is no official or central “place of learning”— no campus, fully equipped classrooms or a library. To Light a Candle, a documentary by Maziar Bahari, who initiated the #NotACrime campaign, looks at the work of the BIHE and Iran’s refusal to allow Baha’is access to further education. Bahari is also founder and director of IranWire. 

Two BIHE alumni from Tehran, now living in Sydney, visited Camo and the wall during its creation. “The sacrifices people make to host classes, teach classes and to attend classes is what stood out to me during my studies,” said Pooyan, one of the former students.

Sayanna studied civil engineering, Pooyan studied computer engineering and together they moved to Sydney in 2011. “You need to match your dreams to what options are available to you,” Sayanna said, describing the reality of Baha’is in Iran. They both have jobs in Sydney, and are able to earn an income and have a normal life, a far cry from the country and people they have left behind.

“Education is a right no matter what your race or religion,” said Camo about his motivation to paint for #NotACrime. “Personally I don't believe my individual mural will change anything about the way Iran thinks — if I could change the opinion of the Iranian government I would definitely be doing all right! I think it’s more to raise awareness through the number of murals being painted and the public feeling that education is a right for everyone.”

For Sayanna and Pooyan, the campaign has a personal impact. Their families and future generations will be affected by the Iranian regime’s treatment of Baha’is and other groups the government deems to be a threat. “I think anything that raises awareness is perfect,” reflected Sayanna. “When it involves the arts then it stays longer and people can make their own personal connection with it.”

Related articles:

#NotACrime: Alexandre Keto in New York

#NotACrime Global Street Art: Johannesburg

#NotACrime: A Global street art project for human rights in Iran

#NotACrime Street Art Provokes Debate in NYC

#NotACrime Launches Street Art Campaign in NYC to Expose Human Rights Abuses in Iran