Peace Magazine Apr-May 1986, page 26. Some rights reserved.
Search for other articles by Shirley Farlinger here
WINDSOR-Disrupted Lives is a view of war as experienced by the children of Central America. The exhibit includes drawings by young refugees in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua.
This project began almost by accident. Canadians visiting refugee camps in Honduras gave art supplies as presents to children. When invited to draw pictures of their villages, these children (ages 8-14) respond by drawing their experiences of war.
Recognizing that these drawings conveyed reality with an emotional directness unique to children, the workers encouraged children from a variety of refugee situations to draw and talk about their lives. Over 1000 pictures were received and 60 of them chosen for the exhibit.
From daily news photos of war, we have become immune to the violence. The children's drawings and words cut through that and remind us what war really means. Many children have included a written explanation. They communicate both hope and despair: A child's love for animals alongside images of murder. The unpredictability of life in a war zone, yet the need to attend to the dally requirements of life-planting, cooking, carrying water. The love and friendship in a family against the fear of helicopters and bombing.
The exhibit is complemented by an educational kit with activities for both children and adults. These materials will help people draw connections between the lives depicted in The drawings and their own lives. A "display unit" is being developed for use with the kit in schools and community settings.
Sept. 1987- Madrona Centre, Nanaimo, B.C.
VANCOUVER-On May 30 the musical Peace Child will have its Canadian premiere at Expo 86 in Vancouver. From there it will tour the country. The play has five main characters and 45 regular members for singing and speaking roles, plus fifty more local children.
David Walker, well-known on the British stage, has spent three years taking The play across the United States. A half-hour video with clips from the 16 songs is available from the University of Victoria Extension Department, Victoria B.C. V9A 2P4 for $25.00 .
HOLLYWOOD-The Big Snit was Canada's entry in the animated short films category for the 58th annual Academy Awards. It was also entered in the Genie awards from the Academy of Canadian Cinema. Win or lose, The Big Snit could be of help to the
peace movement. Because it is a National Film Board production, it can be shown free of charge and because it is a ten-minute comedy it would be a good introduction to a discussion of nuclear war. In the short, a quarrelsome couple play a game of
Scrabble while nuclear war rages outside. It has already won awards at film festivals in Montréal, Hiroshima, Chicago, and France. A
HALIFAX-Women's groups are organizing a counter-conference for May 29-30 in Halifax. This will coincide with the meeting of 16 NATO ministers in which it is expected that the establishment of a Labrador NATO Base will be announced. Since most of the official meeting will be closed to the press, the women hope to attract media attention to Their meeting. Marion Kerans, co-ordinator of last June's Halifax Women's Conference, says, "We may have to set up parallel structures, like counterconferences, until we can get more women at the negotiating tables." She is compiling a list of names of women who are suitable for U.N. positions and who have negotiating skills. Ambassador Stephen Lewis is committed to increasing the representation of women at the U.N. (Ms. Kerans: Box 3231, Halifax.)
Peace Magazine Apr-May 1986, page 26. Some rights reserved.
Search for other articles by Shirley Farlinger here