A graphic novel featuring the work of AHSS Art teacher Ms. Liana Touqan was recently published by a group called IDARE. The book, called “Y’anni” is a collection of stories about online bullying in an effort to combat hate speech in Jordan and Arabic speaking countries.
Ms. Liana illustrated the first story of the book, which centers on a young artist who is bullied for her drawings.
“I kind of related to that because some similar things used to happen to me in school when I was little. When kids are making fun of each other’s drawings,” Ms. Liana said.
The focus of the project is to take a look at how online hate speech impacts people. For this edition of “Y’anni” it has focused on cyber bullying that students in today’s world face.
“She’s losing her confidence, but with the support of her friends and her teachers she regained her confidence again,” Ms. Liana said. “I picked this story in particular because it resonated with me.”
According to IDARE’s website, “This project is a partnership between Institute for Strategic Dialogue, Saba Hamlet, and IDare for Sustainable Development. The project is funded by the EU. [The project] aims to increase alternative Arabic content that counters hate speech online to strengthen social cohesion and individual resilience.”
Congratulations to Ms. Liana for utilizing her artistic talents for such a noble cause.
