by Constanze Flamme Olfa and Heba Human connections are a blessing / Tandem 360° connections are a blessing Olfa Arfaoui from La Fabrique in Tunis, Tunisia, shares thoughts on her Tandem journey. Olfa was working in Tandem with Marouane Hassine from Association Orchid in Beni Mellal, Morocco. Humanity is built on connections between individuals and entities. My life is made of deep and beautiful encounters that shaped my personality and my career choices. For the past decade, I was working in the development sector and focusing on women’s rights and gender equality. Many times, I felt disappointed and useless, I wasn’t able to see a brighter picture despite the huge efforts of feminists and civil society organizations. When our humanity faced the COVID-19, it was high time we questioned our actions and sought more solidarity. Locals at Feynan during T360° Reflection Meeting 12/2021 Like many people around me, I started to think about the changes that needed to be made and I took a huge step. I stepped out of my comfort zone and I quit my job to fully commit to culture and art actions. I have always believed in the power of arts and culture to improve our daily lives and to bring sensitive and complex issues to the surface so people can be aware and hopefully change their behaviors and attitudes toward more inclusive and safe societies. My experience with Tandem 360° started at a very critical moment of big life and professional choices and decisions. I felt supported and my feeling of loneliness and frustration started to vanish. My encounters with bold artists and culture professionals gave me confidence, power, and energy to move forward with my new mission for more free and equal access to arts and culture to uplift less privileged folks.