Wollongong High School student Zinah is one of hundreds of young people from around the country who collaborated on the Harmony Art Collective project.

Zinah was involved in a Wollongong street art workshop with 19 others late February, and chose to paint the intricate words ‘if you see a Muslim don’t be afraid, come say hi’ on their group mural.

She wanted to make a statement to stop people like herself and her friends being bullied and treated differently because of their religion.

“Don’t judge people because of the way we dress, the religion we believe in or the way we speak,” she said.

The initiative by the federal government, SBS and aMBUSH Gallery included migrants from a range of countries, including Syria, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Iraq, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“We aren’t trying to solve everyone’s problems through art, but I can paint and show these young Australians what a mechanism for progress street art can be,” workshop mentor and artists Kaff-eine said.

“Planting the seed is what we are doing so generations to come can reap the benefits.”

The large scale works will be on display at Darling Quarter from March 15 to April 25, also coinciding with Harmony Day.

Zinah and her mother moved to Australia from Syria four years ago to escape the war torn country for a better life.

“It’s so safe here; it’s so beautiful, different, the people, the language,” she said.