Mural created to help shift prejudice away from migrants

A giant mural has been created as part of a special project highlighting the impact climate change is having on driving Venezuelan migration to Colombia.

The project, co-led by Dr Malte Jauch, from Essex Business School, along with Dr Rebecca Irons from UCL and Dr Johanna Amaya-Panche from the University of Edinburgh, aims to shift prejudice away from Venezuelan migrants in Colombia, who are usually thought to flee their country due to the political and economic situation.

Home to nearly three million Venezuelan migrants, Colombia is generally welcoming to refugees and has experienced significant economic benefits from integrating migrants into its labour market. Despite this, many Venezuelans who fled their country to live in Colombia face prejudice in their new home.

“What is often overlooked is that some people have actually migrated due to extreme weather, such as drought and landslides, which means they can’t make a living at home,” explained Dr Jauch. “By adding climate-linked factors alongside other causes of migration, the project is contributing to changing the public and policy narrative around this issue and address the prejudice towards Venezuelan migrants in Colombia.”

A major element of the project has been the creation of a large-scale mural in Bogotá, designed and painted collaboratively by Venezuelan migrants and Colombian residents of the city. 

Over four days, participants worked on the mural - painted on a prominent wall of the secondary school Colegio el Carmelo - under the guidance of the Colombian artist Oscar Javier González Sepúlveda, known as Guache. Focusing on the theme of migratory birds, participants collectively designed and painted the mural while discussing their experiences and shared challenges.

“The people who took part in creating the mural said they found the experience inspiring, highlighting the mural’s symbolic value in challenging negative narratives about migrants,” added Dr Jauch.

A special video was created by Jorge Andres Moreno Blanco to follow the creation of the mural and to record the views of the residents and migrants who took part.