IWPG Cameroon : Children and youth condemn war through paintings

About 50 children gathered in Yaounde with pencils and drawing boards with the sole aim of painting and drawing out their emotions, dreams and how they see their society. This was during the Preliminary for the 5th International Loving-Peace Art Competition in Yaounde- Cameroon’s political capital on May 16 and May 22 2023.

The head teacher of St. Francis Bilingual Nursery and Primary School participating said it was a first of its kind for his institution “I would like to thank IWPG for hosting the 5th International Loving-Peace Art Competition at St. Francis Bilingual Nursery School and Primary School. It became the first peace education activity for children in our institution. We are grateful to be a part of this program. I hope to be together again next time.”

This competition is being held in more than 50 countries worldwide, and the preliminary awards ceremony is held by a country or branch. The best works selected from each country will be sent to the Republic of Korea, where IWPG (International Women’s Peace Group) headquarters is located, and will advance to the final round. The grand prize winner will receive a scholarship of 1 million (around 770 dollars).

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Peace and cessation of war

The 5th International Loving-Peace Art Competition was held to give children hope of world peace and cessation of war and to give them an opportunity to imagine and draw this world of peace specifically.
Alfred and Sara Bilingual Academy Principal Ekane Sangmelima said,

“It was really nice since it revealed the children’s creativity and idea about promotion of peace in Cameroon and the world it’s really something to do more often and thanks once more for the initiative”

This competition is a meaningful event held three times in a row in Cameroon with Students given the floor to express their understanding of peace and how it should be preserved, hoping the peace in Cameroon would be preserved.

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Culture of peace

Meanwhile, the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), as an international NGO with the special consultative status of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), has the vision to pass on a world of peace to future generations as a legacy, so it is actively carrying out projects such as running the Peace Education for Women, urging the implementation of the International Law, that is “the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW),” and spreading a culture of peace.

Veronica Aji