HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

His Majesty inaugurates KIDS GUERNICA - 2000

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 25:His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev inaugurated the KIDS GUERNICA-2000 by ringing the traditional bell amidst a special function organised in Tundikhel Parade Ground this morning. On the occasion a couple of pigeons were also released as symbol of peace.

Her Majesty the Queen was also present on the occasion.

After the inaugural ceremony, Their Majesties the King and Queen observed the 53 murals, in the Parade Ground, painted by the children of 19 countries appealing for a violence free home and world.

Delivering the welcome speech, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Tarini Datta Chataut said Nepal, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, the apostle of peace and who is also referred to as the Light of Asia, had the privilege of getting the opportunity to organise such a type of exhibition that could spread the message of peace throughout the world.

Hailing the artistic creations of children, Minister Chataut said that the works indicate what kind of world the children desire in the days to come. He further said that the country needed an art academy for children so that they could express their feelings and emotions through art, the ancient but the most effective medium of expression.

Nepal is hosting the week-long International Children’s Peace Mural Exhibition entitled KIDS GUERNICA-2000 with the support of the Global Movement for Children and at the proposal of Japan Art Network, which initiated the programme in 1995 through the Internet by inviting children of every country to express their messages for peace on huge murals. The exhibition is expected to ‘send a message of peace from children to people around the world in the global community in the 21st century.’

As part of the week-long International Children’s Peace Mural Exhibition: KIDS’ GUERNICA-2000, children’s mural workshops at Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and Kathmandu Durbar Squares were held for three days from December 21. Children from abroad and others from different schools of Nepal had participated in the workshop.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, National Organising Committee chairman Baikuntha Man Shrestha said, "In addition to completing ‘10,000 series’, to be drawn by 10,000 children from different parts of the world, seven murals are created by Nepalese children".

In 1995, Art Japan Network had developed the idea of KIDS GUERNICA, influenced by the celebrated mural paintings of Pablo Picasso, to engage children of every country in mural painting for the promotion of peace.

Each mural painting in the exhibition is done in the size of 3.5 x 7.8 metres and is painted by groups of children working on different parts that eventually form a complete picture. The size of the murals is modeled after Picasso’s masterpiece ‘GUERNICA’, painted in 1937 in commemoration of Spanish town of the same name which was totally devastated by bombing during the civil war there.

Appreciating the works done by the children, representative of the UNICEF/Nepal Stewart McNab said that the paintings were their dreams for the world of the future full of peace and beauty and against all the existing activities which are gradually destroying the beauty of the world.

"The idea is to convince leaders to take actions, inspire and engage all sectors of the society, and listen to what young people have to say about their future," he said.

During the inaugural function of the exhibition, children representatives from Nepal, Japan and France also expressed their views regarding the present situation of the world and their wish for a world free of violence, hunger, discrimination and disparity.

The movement is expected to create a Global Agenda for Children at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session in September 2001, allowing children to make themselves heard at a time when world leaders chart the course of development in the 21st century.

As part of the KIDS GUERNICA-2000, there will be a symposium on "Art education for children in the 21st century" on Tuesday and the children’s peace gathering at Tundikhel will be organised prior to the closing party on Wednesday.

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