Three years in the making, Meeras Pavilion celebrates Rohingya culture and invites people to build a deeper understanding of the more than 1.2 million refugees who have been displaced or fled extreme violence in Myanmar since 2017.
More than 100 community participants and 20 artists have been involved in creating the project.
Meeras Pavilion spans 14m in diameter and 3.7m in height and will come to life through a series of arts, advocacy and community events from 25 September to 5 October.
Events will include pop-up performances and storytelling, craft workshops, a photo exhibition, advocacy workshops and a film screening and panel discussion.
"This artwork is the result of extensive conversations between Rohingya artists, humanitarian organisations and creative collaborators," Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore AO said.
"It celebrates the power of art and creativity to strengthen the resilience of the Rohingya community.
"I encourage everyone to come along and share in this intimate experience of Rohingya art and culture."
Meeras means 'heritage' in Rohingya language and the pavilion has been co-designed and produced by Australian and Rohingya artists, in partnership with Rohingya communities in Sydney and refugee camps in Bangladesh and Malaysia.
Made from bamboo woven with steel and integrated with high-tech light and sound, the structure features 16 archways that form a canopy over an immersive space. At the end of each archway is a giant taro leaf – the symbol of Rohingya advocacy.
The large woven leaves invite the audience into the pavilion, enveloping them in a multi-sensory space of light that mirrors the movement of water and a soundscape of cross-cultural music and performance.
Innovative artwork specialists Amigo & Amigo have created a playful, interactive installation that audiences can interact with in many ways.
"We are honoured to have collaborated so closely with the Rohingya community on this significant project," Simone Chua, director Amigo & Amigo said.
"Drawing on our experience creating large-scale, interactive light artworks, we sought to design something that is both playful and deeply meaningful – a space that celebrates Rohingya culture while inviting diverse audiences to come together.
"Meeras Pavilion is about joy in public space, and it invites deeper reflection on legacy and what it means to make a mark in our lives, our communities and our cultures."
Noor Azizah, NSW Young Woman of the Year 2024 and co-executive director of the Rohingya Maìyafuìnor Collaborative Network said she hoped the project would serve as an invitation to gain a richer perspective of the Rohingya and reject portrayals of them as persecuted people or refugees.
"To me, Meeras is personal. I have watched this project grow across borders with our community – in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, in Kuala Lumpur and now here in Sydney," Noor said.
"For Rohingya who have been displaced for generations, it is rare to see our women at the forefront of a project like this.
"To bring our culture into the heart of Sydney is powerful. It allows Australians to stand with us, not just in recognising our struggle, but in celebrating our resilience and heritage."
Meeras Pavilion is part of the City of Sydney's Art and About program.
Background
- Meeras Pavilion has been created by Amigo & Amigo along with the bamboo expertise of Lucid Space Design, under a collective called the Creative Advocacy Partnership
- The pavilion design is based on a handcrafted bamboo banyan tree – a tree native to Myanmar
- The banyan tree symbolises Rohingya's long connection to the motherland and provides familiar shelter for community gathering and generosity
- The Rohingya community co-designed the artwork from inception – developing the symbols, themes and stories through to the making of the pavilion and costumes, and curating the performance program
- Since February 2025, community members spent more than 100 hours at workshops in Lakemba and Marrickville weaving panels to fill in the structure's 16 taro leaves
- The taro leaf – a cultural emblem of survival – has been welcomed as a global symbol of self-advocacy, survival and cultural pride. Stemming from the proverb Hoñsu fathar faaní – meaning 'water leaves no trace on a taro leaf' – it has emerged as a powerful metaphor for the Rohingya people who have had their history in Myanmar erased, citizenship removed, been pushed off their homeland and prohibited from building a life as they live in limbo in refugee camps or dispersed cities across the world. The taro leaf also honours the way Rohingya communities are making a mark by telling stories, practicing culture and continuing legacy
- The Rohingya has been described by the UN as one of the most persecuted minorities in the world, with a lack of access to basic rights and services, including freedom of movement, healthcare, state education and jobs
- Advocacy partners include Médecins Sans Frontières, Creative Advocacy Partnership, Australia Rohyingya Women's Development Organisation, Global Health Alliance of Australia, Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, Refugee Council of Australia and Amnesty International Australia.
