Edane: ‘How being an Ambassador for International Migrants Day helped me see migrants differently’ 

Edane Ng is a Malaysian pianist and visual artist, a creative, and was one of the International Migrants Day Ambassadors for 2023 with IMIX and IOM(UK). 

When IMIX began working with Edane on the International Migrants Day Ambassador programme she was beginning to face the negative narratives around migration in the UK and globally, except she did not know she was involved in this issue; she was not aware that she is considered a migrant.

IMIX provided training in talking to the media and storytelling on social media platforms. We provided support as she explored what being a migrant means to her and her creative endeavours. Through this training she became ready and equipped to talk to the media about these topics, and we have made connections between her and media outlets. 

Through the Ambassador programme, Edane got a new sense of who she is, as she explored her identity and work in the art world. She learned more about migration in different contexts, was able to network and build relationships with the many different people on the programme and made a decision on how she feels about this, which she explained clearly:

‘Before the programme, I didn’t see myself as a migrant. If I were to be honest, I thought a migrant is someone who had to leave their original country for extenuating circumstances […] But after the programme, I realised that people who have moved to a new place for positive experiences are considered migrants. So, I’m a migrant now and I fully embrace that.’

Edane is now planning an art installation project, that will combine classical music and animation, to expose what a migrant is and the problem of negative narratives around this. She wants to keep addressing social issues through her art and raise awareness about this in the media.