ICORN cartoonist Abdul Arts speaks with high schoolers in Skien

Muhiaddin lived as a refugee in Cairo before ICORN selected him for its two-year programme. Muhiaddin is a well-respected political cartoonist who publishes his drawings under the name 'Abdul Arts.' Now that Muhiaddin has arrived in Norway, his work will be able to find new and wider avenues for publication.

Muhiaddin told students that he has been waiting for a free Somalia ever since he was a child. He described how instead of food, the country is glutted with bombs. Speaking about the Al Shabaab terrorist military group, Muhiaddin told how they routinely murder medical students, ban the Somali flag, and systematically attempt to destroy the culture and spirit of the Somali people.
When asked after the event, the students found Muhiaddin's presentation enlightening and that it enhanced their understanding of various media channels.

Skien, a town in the southeastern Norwegian county of Telemark, has been one of ICORN's Cities of Refuge since 2006. Muhiaddin is the third writer the city has hosted.