Participate in the International Peace Mural Exchange Program!
Why Participate?
The Where Peace Lives International Peace Mural Exchange Program is designed to provide an engaging,
fun, and creative work environment for children and youth to build and maintain a culture of peace within their school and community.
Through hands-on art activities you'll transform your relationship to managing anger, talking out issues, and being part of creating win-win solutions. This will help young people develop their natural self-confidence, motivation, desire to participate, mutual respect toward others, communication, and leadership—essential and powerful life skills.
We invite you bring the Where Peace Lives International Peace Mural Exchange Program to your school and create
your own "vision for peace" that will be internationally exchanged
with other students around the world. You'll have an unprecedented opportunity
to impact world views on peace through your thought-provoking
visual communication. You will see and recognize the similarities you
have with other young people around the world and discover the common
ground we all share toward building a peaceful global community.
YOU are the future, come design what it will look like!
Program Outcomes
The intended outcomes are:
- Each young person knows him or herself as someone who is making a difference,
- Each young person develops creative self-expression and individual talents,
- Each young person experiences pride and ownership in his or her accomplishment,
- Each young person sees the value in being a learner for life and is able to relate to the concept of "anything is possible,"
- Each young person becomes more globally-minded and creates their own stake in the big picture,
- Each young person develops higher-order thinking skills enabling them to think critically, solve problems, and make informed decisions,
- Each young person learns to show respect towards themselves and others regardless of differences,
- Each young person learns to bridge cultural and social gaps within the global community,
- Each young person develops strong leadership and communication skills, and
- Each young person values and learns to create harmony amongst all people.
International Peace Mural Exchange Example
Peace Mural from Indiana Elementary School, Indiana, Peru
Click mural for a larger view.
Logistics
We work with students at the elementary through secondary school levels. Our program includes over 15 interactive activities that focus on conflict resolution and peace building exercises using the visual arts to guide students in engaging discussions. Areas of focus include leadership, communication, critical thinking and problem solving, team building, cultural respect and global understanding.
The projects can take place at the school or organization participating in either a during-school or after-school setting at the discretion of the individual school or organization.
A Lasting Impact
Students learn to create a powerful and lasting context for peace in their lives. Starting at looking at themselves first this rapidly ripples outward as they look at issues concerning others, community, and society.
During the international mural exchange students will be asked to write about what questions they think the mural they received answered and what impact it has had on them. In some cases dialogue between the two exchanging schools may be possible. This opens up a dialogue in a way that fosters community, relatedness, and connectedness across communities, countries, and nations in a whole NEW way.
Core Curriculum Standards
Where Art Lives — Creating Peace Through Art will incorporate three of the Core Curriculum Content Standards from the Visual and Performing Arts Curriculum into the lesson plans and overall context for the murals conducted in the United States:
STANDARD
1.1 (AESTHETICS) ALL STUDENTS WILL USE AESTHETIC KNOWLEDGE IN
THE CREATION OF AND IN RESPONSE TO DANCE, MUSIC, THEATER, AND
VISUAL ART.
Students will be guided through the mural creation process and learn the value of this art form as a strong visual communication device. Learn about the history and evolution of the mural over time, what are the foundations of this art form. What is the message that is being communicated through the mural they create, they receive.
STANDARD 1.4 (CRITIQUE) ALL STUDENTS WILL DEVELOP, APPLY AND REFLECT UPON KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROCESS OF CRITIQUE.
Students will have the opportunity to critique and study the murals that are exchanged with them. Be able to compare different cultural influences, western and non-western and be exposed to a variety of cultural and social communications. How to use strong and positive critiquing methods to influence change and expand knowledge.
STANDARD 1.5 (HISTORY/CULTURE) ALL STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND AND ANALYZE THE ROLE, DEVELOPMENT, AND CONTINUING INFLUENCE OF THE ARTS IN RELATION TO WORLD CULTURES, HISTORY, AND SOCIETY.
Students will have the opportunity to have their mural be an expression and honoring of their personal cultural heritage and an opportunity to utilize their cultural resources and local art forms to express their message for peace. An opportunity to evaluate and share about the potential impact of their mural on history. Study and analyze other past mural projects and the influence and impact they have had on events in history.
Buy a DVD on the Mural Program
If you would like to order a copy of the Where Peace Lives - Creating Peace Through Art DVD sampler please use the purchase button below. Your generous donation goes directly toward expanding our mural projects worldwide.
Your DVD contains:
• Project Introduction
• What the Kids Have to Say
• Conerly Road School Mural, Somerset, NJ
• El Saffa Society for Special Needs Children mural, Suez, Egypt
• Peace Murals go to the United Nations for Ghandi-King Season of Non-violence conference
• The Cultural Mural Exchange between NJ and Suez, Egypt
