Equality, trust & peace
With paintings and exhibitions, we strive to lift people’s (especially children’s) voices up in society.
News
Testimonials
“Here in Bindal, you have something of the finest I've heard of; Peacepainting. This protect focuses on strengthening equality among people across borders. Through painting and written expressions, children and young people articulate their desires for a better world – one filled with freedom, joy, and justice for all. To me, it appears as a unique way to unite positive forces. I warmly wish you the best of luck in your continued endeavors. It all began in Bindal in 2007, and now 22 countries are involved. The Queen and I would like to conclude by aligning ourselves with the poetic wish of a 15-year-old Tunisian girl, expressed through one of the artworks in Peacepainting:
Let us illuminate injustice and create an exit door for it. “
— His Majesty the King of Norway
«Encouraging children to draw and paint, is in itself not particularly difficult, but the result is rarely interesting. So I must admit that I did not have great expectations when I first went to see these drawings. But I was surprised, very surprised, because these children, who Peacepainting had taught, showed both the form and terms of coloristic maturity that was likely to surprise, while they also had a message to convey. There was no doubt that the images were made by children, but they had acquired some experience that enabled them to exploit the limitations of what the not yet fully developed motor abilities had set for them. In short - Peacepainting had taught them a visual style that made it possible for them to express their thoughts and feelings. When they today have created a larger organization for doing peace-building work across borders, I can only warmly recommend it. This is a project that deserves all possible support, because it is the children who represent our future.»
— Gunnar Danbolt, Professor Emeritus of Art History
«Peacepainting contributes to both activating children through creative activities and to spreading a positive, constructive and strong peace message in society. From my own standpoint as a peace and conflict researcher, I want to emphasize what an important expression Peacepainting represents.»
-Dr. Henrik Syse, Research Professor at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO)
«All of us who work in the management building at Akershus Fortress highly appreciate that you contacted us for exhibiting the paintings at our workplace. The children have important messages through their paintings. I hope others can have the pleasure of having the paintings after us. Thank you for contacting us and best of luck with the project.»
- Grete Faremo, Former Norwegian Minister of Defense
«I am impressed with everything you have accomplished, and believe that the use and development of children’s artistic talents are important both for the children themselves and for everyone who gets to see the results of their efforts. We must both hope and believe that such work can also contribute to understanding across political, religious and other cultural borders»
- Kåre Willoch, former Norwegian Prime Minister
«This is an example of a successful multicultural venture. There are plenty of undertakings that have failed considerably, but this cannot be other than successful. Because here one works creatively, become influenced by each other and that is how it really should be.»
- Håkon Bleken, Norwegian Artist
Nobel Peace Prize winner receives painting from Oslosenteret via Kjell Magne Bondevik.
Former Norwegian Minister of Defence receives painting.
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (currently General Secretary of NATO) received a painting from Peacepainting that was exhibited in the Prime Minister’s office while he held the position. Even Brevik, 12 years old, went to Oslo and handed over the painting himself.
Workshops
Together with the art center Éspace des Arts in Sfax, Tunisia we created workshops and exhibitions to raise awareness about equality.
Despite cultural differences, the workshop with the children in Pyongyang took place like in any other place, and this represents a key-point of the Peacepainting workshops: Peacepainting workshops’ formula fits everywhere.
In cooperation with The University of Manila, Brobyggerstiftelsen, The Philippine National Police and The Philippine Army, we conducted Peacepainting workshops with street children in Manila.
The Peacepainting representatives Ali Badri from Iran, and Laila Koloastyak from Norway created a team of artists and journalists to establish a separate Peacepainting branch in Iran.
Young participants from Croatia, Tunisia, Eritrea and Norway met in Bindal, Norway for a project named “The World is Our Canvas”.
We had a painting workshop at a middle school in Alverca de Ribatejo. At this particular school, there were many children from Africa who had come as refugees.
A selection of paintings that the children in Dolna Bayana Orphanage created in our first project were exhibited and sold at an auction in Sofia. The money was used to create a fund for the children in the orphanage to pay for their higher education after the age of 18.
As part of a large project to improve a large number of kindergartens in Bulgaria, we were invited to introduce our method.
We have had three projects in Bulgaria, involving an orphanage, kindergartens, an auction and an art festival.
Our partner organisation Association SPOC initiated a Peacepainting Festival in Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia.
The aim was to lift the voices of the children in the orphanage, and also give them opportunities for creative expression.
In cooperation with the EEA and the Polish Government, we created a larger project involving hundreds of people in Poland and Norway.
Sponsored by the Department of Culture in Norway, Peacepainting had a project to promote the Skolt Sámi - a minority among the Sámi minority.
To continue our great partnership with School 2010, we travelled back and had new painting workshops with different groups of children from the school.
Collaborating with the Scouts, we had painting workshops with various groups in beautiful Sri Lanka. We conducted painting workshops in various parts of the country, including Moratuva, Jaffna and Metmehira.
In cooperation with the Tunisian art organization Éspace des Arts and the Russian Embassy in Oslo, Norway, Peacepainting and Éspace des Arts travelled together to Moscow to hold painting workshops at School 2010.
Exhibitions
In collaboration with Kulturskolen i Brønnøy together with schools in Vega, Vevelstad and Brønnøy, a large Peacepainting exhibition took place in Brønnøysund on the 17th of September.
Government quarter, Gallery R5 enjoyed an exciting and colourful exhibition that received lots of positive feedback.
Bamble Refugee Service in Norway invited Peacepainting to have a week-long project in Bamble, Norway.
Scandic Hotel Syv Søstre Sandesjøen, in the north of Norway has Peacepainting exhibition on display.
Avinor, the state-owned company that operates most of the civil airports in Norway, has been an important Peacepainting partner.
The Norwegian Ministry of Defence funded Peacepainting and had an exhibition at the Norwegian Armed Forces Museum.
The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs sponsored Peacepainting and had an exhibition.
The Norwegian Ministry of Defence of Norway sponsored Peacepainting and had a year-long exhibition in their management building in Oslo, Norway.
A Peacepainting exhibition was held at Grand Hotel, the annual venue for the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo.
In cooperation with Nordlense, which produces tents in Vesterålen, we created a tent to be used in refugee camps.