PASI
PASI
Passing the world along The Esplanade
PASI is a large-scale outdoor community photo exhibition taking place along The Esplanade promenade in Toronto from May to July 2026. Led by Jamii, the project brings together community members of all ages to reflect how people from around the world live side by side in one city during a globally significant summer of international football.
The name PASI, meaning “a soccer pass” in Swahili, refers to a simple gesture shared across cultures. In this project, that gesture becomes visual. Participants are photographed as part of a continuous chain of portraits, each person symbolically passing a soccer ball from one image to the next. Installed between the Distillery District and St. Lawrence Market, the exhibition unfolds along The Esplanade as a public artwork rooted in neighbourhood life, movement, and everyday presence.
PASI will feature a minimum of 48 community participants, representing countries taking part in the 2026 international football tournament. Rather than focusing on competition or spectacle, the project highlights the people who already make up Toronto’s global character. Families, newcomers, elders, youth, and first-generation Torontonians appear together in a shared visual sequence, reflecting how international histories and identities intersect in daily life.
The final exhibition includes 48 large-scale outdoor portraits (3 ft x 4 ft) displayed throughout the promenade. From May to July 2026, the installation will be animated by live performances, daily stiltwalker appearances, and cultural moments that invite residents and visitors to slow down, look closely, and experience the city in a different way.
PASI is open to community members of all ages with roots in one of the participating countries. No professional modelling or photography experience is required. The project is about presence, not performance, and participation is designed to be welcoming, accessible, and community-led.
By taking part in PASI, participants contribute to a landmark public artwork that documents a unique moment in Toronto’s history and offers a people-centred reflection on what it means to share space, culture, and everyday life in a global city.
STEP 1: You apply.
Fill out the PASI application form to tell us about yourself and your connection to one of the participating countries. Applications are open to community members of all ages, and no photography or modelling experience is required.
Our team will review submissions and follow up by email. An informal selection process helps us create a diverse group of participants that reflects the many communities living in Toronto.
STEP 2: You book your photoshoot.
If selected, you’ll receive a confirmation email. You can go ahead and book your photoshoot through the booking calendar below. Choose a photoshoot date and time that works best for you. All photoshoots take place outdoors at David Crombie Park.
STEP 4: You show up
Dress in colourful clothing that reflects your country of origin, arrive on time for your photoshoot, and be ready to take part in this shared community moment along The Esplanade.
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