LONDON.- Following the premiere in Amman, Jordan under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah, the I AM exhibition, featuring 31 premier Middle Eastern women contemporary artists from 12 countries, is now being showcased in London at the historic church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields on Trafalgar Square, that receives thousands of visitors daily. I AM runs in London through August 20, 2017.

Over 400 distinguished guests attended the official VIP opening program on July 3 that included special speakers such as His Excellency Mazen K. Homoud, the Ambassador of Jordan to the UK, Sir Derek Plumbly, Chairman of The Arab British Centre and Vanessa Branson, Founder of the Marrakech Biennale in Morocco. Special guest sopranos Dima Bawab and Margo Arsane performed, together with piano accompanist Toby Purser, associated with The Peace and Prosperity Trust.

Vanessa Branson gave the primary address. Focusing on her experiences in contemporary art in North Africa and the Middle East, her presentation was titled: “Driving Forces: Women artists from the Islamic world".

Evidenced by all that has been recently happened in Europe, and specifically in the United Kingdom, there is an increasing need for developing understanding and encouraging friendship between the peoples and faiths of the Middle East and West. I AM is an East-West peacebuilding exhibition organized by CARAVAN that showcases the insights and experiences of Middle Eastern women as they confront issues of culture, religion and social reality in a rapidly changing world, both in the Middle East and West.

Her Majesty Queen Rania has said, “I am amazed by the misconceptions about Muslim women and the Arab world that I hear, and that really hurts me.” Hence, with the objective of challenging often-held stereotypes, this exhibition is an acknowledgement of how Middle Eastern women continue to creatively evolve new narratives that uphold their heritage, keeping hope alive, while embracing a future full of challenges.

This exhibition, through the lens of Middle Eastern contemporary art, highlights what women globally contribute toward healing our world, because of their inherent connection to the sanctity of life, and their ability to nurture and protect it, thereby inspiring at the heart of communities a legacy of harmony, and creatively fostering peace in all its forms.

In this sense, looking through the lens of Middle Eastern women, this exhibition has the primary objective of helping its viewers see the “other” with fresh eyes, celebrating the diversity of human expression, and also asserting the common priorities that all seek and treasure.

Commenting on the I AM exhibition tour, Her Majesty Queen Rania, said: “I hope that as this exhibition opens in cities worldwide, and people look through this window into our lives, they see what I see -- what I’ve always known. That the people of the Middle East are as warm and welcoming as they are generous and open-minded. And that, today, perhaps more than ever, they are eager to forge friendships beyond their own borders in the name of a stronger, more harmonious global family.”

Following London, I AM will tour the US through 2018.