According to Ma’aly, by combining media and art, UNESCO aimed to, “bridge the gap between scientific data and public awareness and motivate action for change.”

The exhibit from Africa featured curated works by award-winning water, climate change, and wildlife journalist Fredrick Mugira, showcasing his impactful contributions to water journalism. It centered on his yearlong investigation into plastic water pollution conducted in 2022 which was honored with the 2023 Eric and Wendy Schmidt Awards for Excellence in Science Communications, a prestigious accolade recognizing the innovative efforts of science journalists, research scientists, and science communicators in disseminating scientific advancements to the general public.

This outcome stemmed from his extensive Bertha fellowship project undertaken throughout 2022. During this fellowship, he dedicated himself to exploring the impacts of plastic pollution on rivers, with a particular focus on the Nile, the world’s longest river, and the surrounding lakes within Uganda and the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mugira is also the founder of Water Journalists Africa, an organization that spearheads several initiatives, including InfoNile, Nilewell, and the Apes Reporting Project.

Among other, Mugira’s investigation unearthed a significant revelation: the River Nile’s role as a conduit for plastic waste, transporting it from the African Great Lakes region to the Mediterranean Sea.

He delved deeply into the nexus of plastic pollution and its repercussions on water bodies. With a keen focus on the Western Rift Valley lakes in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo that drain into the Nile River, Fredrick’s work examined the origins, impacts, and potential solutions to plastic pollution in these specific areas.

To visually present this project, artists chose to spotlight aspects that might otherwise slip by unnoticed.  They ingeniously portrayed plastic in food and drinks. For example, they precisely crafted salads from plastic materials, formed fried eggs using plastics, molded rice from plastics, and even simulated plastic beer in glasses among others. And these were placed on the dining table, ready to be enjoyed.

The table seemed adorned with a sumptuous feast, enticing to the eye. Yet, upon closer scrutiny, one discovered a sinister truth lurking amidst the apparent abundance. Each delectable dish harbored a clandestine guest – plastic pollution stealthily masquerading within the very essence of the food.

Ricardo Núñez-Morales, an artist with The Future School, Chile who managed the exhibition site, says Mugira’s works, provoked “reactions of surprise and disgust” from some viewers, which was the “genuine reaction we expected.”

Ricardo, who is the head of UARMEDIA, the media content creation area of the Open University of Recoleta, Chile stresses that artwork required no translation.

And Ricardo was not there alone; “our families and friends” were also present and contributed to the “staging and execution of the works, which transformed this adventure into a heartfelt family effort,” he says.

For Margarita Paulina Abascal Quezada, one of the attendees at the exhibition, the beauty lay not only in the artwork itself but also in meeting the writers behind the stories that were visualised. She ensured to take a photo with Mugira for future reminiscences.

Reflecting on his participation in the event, Mugira expressed profound admiration for the entire journey of the art exhibition, from its conceptualization to its final display at the World Press Freedom Day Conference in Chile. He described the experience as “truly amazing,” emphasizing how the creative “visualization of their stories marked a refreshing departure from conventional journalistic storytelling methods.”

Fredrick, who spoke during the plenary season at UNESCO 2024 World Press Freedom Day, says working with the artists and art students was, “a rewarding experience.”