Building a Culture of Peace and Reconciliation through Art at the International Peace Institute (IPI)

On March 26th, I had the honor of joining IPI and Grace Farms to co-host the second Art for Peace event — an evening that celebrated art as a bridge between empowerment, healing, and peace.

That night, I debuted The Veil, a textile-based wearable art piece created from second-hand doilies delicate works traditionally handmade by women for table settings. To me, these doilies represent the idea of a table for peace  a place where we come together with respect, dignity, and shared humanity.

The Veil symbolizes both protection and honor for the anonymity of survivors of modern slavery. This piece will become part of my upcoming documentary, ANAVARANA (meaning “unveil” in Nepali) — a project that explores how modern slavery impacts women, how it is interwoven with the global climate crisis, and how a powerful survivor-led movement is rising to demand transparency and end exploitation.

During the event, I also shared the first-ever public reading of my poem, A Table for Peace. This poem was born from my keynote at the 2024 Design for Freedom Summit at Grace Farms, where I spoke about creating a global table a metaphor for unity, compassion, and shared solutions. Later, during my artist residency at Grace Farms, I had the privilege of developing this poem alongside Marilyn Nelson, Poet Laureate, as we explored how poetry can express the vision of a universal gathering place — a table where freedom and environmental care meet for the good of all generations.

Following the reading, I was joined in conversation by Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, President and CEO of IPI. Together, we reflected on the personal meaning behind The Veil and how it weaves into ANAVARANA as both an artistic and activist statement — a call for a global culture of transparency and peace that centers survivor voices and safety. I also shared the journey of crafting A Table for Peace, and why I chose the Mandākrāntā Chanda, a classical Sanskrit meter, as its rhythmic foundation — a tribute to timeless beauty and resilience.

The audience’s response was deeply moving. Many shared how the art and stories touched them — how they felt inspired to join this collective effort to build a future rooted in dignity and harmony. The evening closed with a vibrant reception filled with meaningful conversations about collaboration and action — a reminder that peace, like art, begins when we come together.

Watch the full event, including exclusive interviews with audience members: https://youtu.be/oQmQXvcCRVg

Marianne & Natacha pose with End Modern Slavery Now! posters at the IPI event in support of mandatory supply chain transparency labeling