KARACHI: Students of Freobel Education Center alongwith teachers and staff builds little rainbow with their handprints into one big message of hope that the world will recognise and respect.
I Pledge Peace, an initiative which is a brainchild of Bina Ali’s and Maha Ahsan’s, taken up by IPAF, (International Public Art Festival) under the umbrella of I Am Karachi.
We have started a Public Art program for schools in which we build a rainbow on their chosen wall with the students painting it with their handprints. The rainbow is a symbol of peace, hope and happiness, while the handprint is a signature of each child making a pledge, Bina Ali said.
As we all know, the world, especially our country stands at a very crucial point today, when all around us hatred prevails. Be it social media, politics, religious intolerance, racism, gender description or the hostility of a neighbouring country wanting to provoke war… it is all seeded in hatred and in lack of love.
It is a crucial time for the children of our country as well as their parent generation to speak up now and let the world know that we are peace loving and we want peace in return.
By putting their handprint in building the rainbow, they are promising to be a peace loving and peace promoting citizen of Pakistan through the universal language of art.
In just two weeks we have seen a tremendous reaction from schools in taking part in this project. We can sense a wave of patriotism forming and going across the city and eventually as word spreads, through the country. And may we mention just how keen the students are in taking this pledge. They are briefed on what they are about to pledge and they accept it wholeheartedly. They voluntarily, along with their teachers, help build up the rainbow in spite of the scorching heat.
We have come to realise the importance of this art expression for these children and how big this wave can be turned into. We also realise what a strong statement and message this carries out to the world from the children of Pakistan; We Pledge Peace, and we want peace in return!
We need your support. Media projection can do wonders in spreading the word, which is vital in bringing this message onto the national and international platform. We invite you to join us in this initiative and talk to the hundreds of children that are sending out the message of peace from Pakistan to the world and help project it through your very powerful medium. Let’s join hands and represent a positive and progressive Pakistan.
