What is #KidsDrawPeace4Ukraine?
The #KidsDrawPeace4Ukraine project is exactly what the hashtag says: children draw pictures of hope and peace for Ukraine. The latest phase calls for doing that in the run-up to and on September 21, the International Day of Peace. (See below for how to get involved.)
The project started just after the invasion by Russia, when producers of news around the world invited their young readers and viewers to submit such art. The drawings appear on their platforms and on social media, simply with the common hashtag #KidsDrawPeace4Ukraine.
“The war may seem far away to kids,” said Joyce Grant, editor of Canada’s TNK, one of the news organizations from eight countries participating so far. “They may feel that nothing they can do will matter. This project gives them a chance to express what they’re feeling, express their support and be part of a global community of kids who are doing the same.”
After testing with some Ukrainian refugee children in France, phase 2 called for including those children in the project at schools in other countries hosting refugees.
“My students, both from Poland and Ukraine, have the right to make their dreams come true and have a good future,” said Ewa Wawoczny, of the 9- and 10-year-olds in her class. “That is why we took part in the #KidsDrawPeace4Ukraine project so that they could express their opinion, demonstrate how much they want peace and show the devastation war is doing.”
“And here they did a great job. They showed that they are the rebels of tomorrow and that it is worth fighting for peace.”
Global Youth & News Media has published instructions for doing such a class session in English, Deutsch, Eesti, Español, Français, Italia, Nederlands, Polski, Português, Українською, Русском.
Now, teachers, big brothers and sisters and anyone else can take a half hour on the International Day of Peace (September 21) to help children all over the world show they haven’t forgotten about Ukraine.
How can you get involved?
Children at home, in schools, libraries and museums worldwide will draw messages of peace and hope for the children of Ukraine. Adults will then post the art on social media with the #KidsDrawPeace4Ukraine hashtag.
This is phase three of a project organized by Global Youth & News Media, a France-based nonprofit, and endorsed by the Ukrainian Embassy in Paris, which will help make sure the art reaches Ukrainians. The earlier phases called for efforts by editors of news for children and schools hosting Ukrainian refugee children.
Children can choose from the variety of borders that artists have donated, all downloadable here.
The activity can take as little as a half hour.
For further information about #KidsDrawPeace4Ukraine
Global Youth & News Media can also provide imagery for publicity. Please email all inquiries to [email protected].
Global Youth & News Media also encourages donations to the Voices of Children (голоси дітей) Foundation, which has offered psychological help in the form of full-blown art therapy to Ukrainian children since 2015 and now also is evacuating children, buying essentials for victims, and building bomb shelters. https://voices.org.ua/en/