Waard Ward is a contemporary arts collective based in Toronto that collaborates in floristry, decolonial research, and newcomer community support. Waard Ward is collectively led by Syrian florist Abd Al-Mounim, community organizers/Syrian newcomers Hanen Nanaa and Shoruk Alsakni, educator Laura Ritacca, curator/educator Patricia Ritacca, and artist Petrina Ng. We create floral arrangements, build community gardens, support mutual aid networks, and teach floristry to newcomers (in and out of classrooms) – all to embody generous and fruitful futures.
Waard Ward’s name proposes the idea of a diasporic flower district; “waard” is a romanization of the Arabic word for flower.