Based in the Jordanian capital, Abdallat has spent years using art to spark conversations about human rights, tolerance and social change. Thanks to his Free pen initiative, he runs workshops with young people, particularly in communities affected by displacement, helping them express their experiences and hopes through drawing.

Collaborations with UNESCO to counter hate speech, to win the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Social Entrepreneurship Summit Price in 2021, Abdallat is dedicated to supporting youth engagement in civic life.

UN News spoke with Abdallat about his journey into cartooning, the role of art in crisis situations, and why he believes even the smallest drawing can spark a global conversation.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.

UN News: What first attracted you to caricature? And what does this mean for you?

Omar Abdallat: I started drawing as a child, copying cartoon characters from TV and comic books, but it was at university that I realized it could be something more.

I started drawing my teachers, then I started sharing my drawings online on Arab cartoonist sites. It was great for people to see my work, react to it and get feedback.

Eventually, it became my job – but more than that, it became a lifestyle.

Cartoons make me think of the people around me, of my society. I sometimes say that drawing is my religion because I believe it makes me a better human being.

UN News: When did you first realize that your cartoons could reach people far beyond your own community?

Omar Abdallat: I studied cartoons on my own and what I learned from other artists was the importance of simplicity. So I try to draw complex problems as if I were drawing them for children.

When I started sharing my work on Facebook, that’s when it clicked: people from all over the world were responding and reacting. That’s when I realized that cartoons are a language that everyone understands.

UN Info: Could you tell us about one of your specific works?

Omar Abdallat: For example, one of my most recent works is inspired by classic paintings depicting leaders from Europe and other parts of the world.

The scene depicts the wolf, like a sovereign, celebrating its domination over the enclosure and the sheep, while one of the sheep seems fascinated by the wolf’s charisma.

In countries where there is no real transfer of power, the very notion of homeland is distorted. Leadership is reduced to domination and loyalty is transformed from a collective principle into blind obedience.

UN News: This is a very striking image that really reflects your activism, which you have developed both through your caricatures and your initiatives. You have worked in many different settings, from public spaces to refugee communities and international forums. In which spaces do you find the most meaningful to work?

Omar Abdallat: I find my work with children and young people particularly meaningful – particularly those who are going through difficulties. It’s like we’re not just drawing, but empowering them through cartoons, to help them believe in their own stories again.

It’s very meaningful to offer them this safe space where they can talk about themselves, draw and gain confidence.

I always start by telling them the history of cartoons – where it came from, what it means. Then I teach them to draw step by step. Once they have the basics, we start talking about deeper things like their rights, the environment, how they imagine the future.

My dream is to make this a global movement, to bring cartoons to every child who might need them, especially in places like Gaza, where being a child can be so difficult.

UN News: Do they ever surprise you with their views?

Omar Abdallat: Some children are very talented. Through their cartoons, you will be able to better understand their culture, their background and sometimes their issues.

They talk about racism, poverty and hate speech. In return, I do my best to improve their understanding of these topics.

UN News: Do you see the cartoons as a kind of healing?

Omar Abdallat: I believe in cartoons as a lifestyle. It’s the air we breathe. This is how we understand things.

When the Charlie Hebdo tragedy occurred ten years ago, I remember thinking: We need a humanitarian version of this spirit – a platform that unites rather than divides.

This idea became the seed of something I am still working on today: a “Cartoon Lab” – a network of academies where children and adults can safely express themselves through art.

UN News: As you explained, caricatures can address sensitive subjects. Have you ever encountered difficulties or resistance in your work?

Omar Abdallat: Challenge is my middle name! I used to hide it, but now I say it out loud. Some of them are due to the Middle Eastern environment, others to technology.

In the Middle East, you may fear for your life and that of your children. It’s not easy to be a designer here in general.

UN News: How do you keep your hope alive?

Omar Abdallat: One of the things I learned from my late father, who was a doctor, was that he never let any patient go until they were fighting for their life. This is our duty in life, to help the people around us become better.

I want people who see my work to be themselves and give their best to the world, to put aside their differences and believe in our common humanity.

When night falls, the sun always rises. Every winter has a spring. It’s part of nature. You just have to hold the time to see it.

Briefing journalists Wednesday in New York, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said Hostilities in parts of the Gaza Strip continue to cause casualties and repeatedly disrupt humanitarian operations.

On Tuesday, the UN and its partners coordinated eight planned humanitarian movements inside Gaza with Israeli authorities. Of these, only one movement was facilitated, while the other seven were hindered, refused or canceled.

Despite the difficulties, UN teams managed to recover more than 200 pallets of medicine and five tanker trucks of fuel at the Kerem Shalom/Kerem Abu Salem border post. Additional tents were also collected at the Kissufim crossing.

“Every delivery to Gaza makes a significant difference,” Mr. Dujarric said.

The health system barely works

The spokesperson stressed that Gaza’s health system remains in a state of extreme fragility.

“Not a single hospital in Gaza is fully functional,” he said, noting that only 18 of the Strip’s 36 hospitals are currently partially operational.

On Monday, teams from the UN World Health Organization (WHO) facilitated the medical evacuation of 33 Palestinians requiring intensive care, as well as more than 100 accompanying people. However, the scale of unmet medical needs remains overwhelming.

“There are still more than 16,500 patients who need to receive medical care outside Gaza,” Dujarric said.

WHO continues to call for safe access to all evacuation routes, particularly to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and to expedite medical evacuation convoys at crossing points.

Maintain education

Meanwhile, UN agencies continue their efforts to maintain essential civilian services. The United Nations agency helping Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) maintains learning activities for displaced children across Gaza.

As of Sunday, UNRWA was operating nearly 350 temporary learning spaces in 64 shelters, providing in-person education to more than 47,000 boys and girls.

Humanitarians also continue to provide other essential support.

Call for unfettered access

Mr Dujarric said the United Nations and its partners were ready to scale up operations if restrictions were eased.

“We are once again calling for unhindered humanitarian access so that teams can reach everyone they need,” he said.

“We and our partners can do much more as soon as restrictions on essential items and humanitarian groups are lifted. »

The world is inexorably industrializing, increasing prospects for better jobs and livelihoods for many of the planet’s poorest. But to truly benefit the world’s population and the planet as a whole, international trade and industry must go hand in hand with healthier communities, reduced emissions and cleaner air.

In the past this has not always been the case, but the United Nations Industrial Organization UNIDO) is committed to achieving this. “We know the challenges and the problems, but we are here to offer solutions,” says Manuel Mattiat, UNIDO Chief of Staff. “Everything is possible with the knowledge we have, the technologies available and the money available. »

Investing in countries of the South

Mr Mattiat spoke to UN News on the last day of the UNIDO meeting Global Industry Summitwhich covered a wide range of issues related to industrial development in the Global South, from youth entrepreneurship to empowering women entrepreneurs (full UN News coverage here).

With the UN facing unprecedented scrutiny, the Riyadh conference showcases the expertise and knowledge that the world’s largest multilateral organization has to offer investors and businesses, as well as a series of concrete solutions aimed at lifting the world’s most vulnerable people out of poverty.

“We are here to build bridges,” explains Mr. Mattiat. Many developed and industrialized countries, rich in resources and development, are ready to invest, but they have not yet found the right entry points. This is exactly the purpose of our presence here in Riyadh: to mobilize investments in favor of the least developed countries.

Put people first

On Thursday, representatives of UNIDO Member States, from the developed to the developing world, adopted the Riyadh Declaration, which calls for closer cooperation between governments, businesses and civil society to ensure that industrialization leads to greener economies, equitable opportunities and better livelihoods.

Focusing on youth and women, the Declaration aims to expand access to skills and employment and highlights the importance of innovation and digital transformation, ensuring that developing countries can benefit from new technologies and compete in global markets.

The adoption of the Declaration is seen as a turning point in global industrial policy, providing a framework for governments and international partners to mobilize resources and deliver tangible benefits to communities around the world.