Children draw a peaceful world
“2nd International Peace-Love Drawing Competition“

On a white drawing paper, children from diverse countries drew what they dreamed peace would be.

The International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) held an award ceremony for the “2nd International Peace-Love Drawing Competition,” at the Nurikum Square Building, Seoul. The competition was with the purpose of realizing world peace.

Unlike the first event which was held only in Korea, the second function took place in 41 cities of 30 countries with over 6,500 students gathered under the theme of “Cessation of War, Handwritten Peace Letters, Love for Nation and Peace, and Eradication of Weapons.”

Chairwoman Hyun Sook Yoon of the IWPG expressed how it is unfortunate that children from North Korea were not able to take part in this meaningful international event, and that the IWPG will strive to ensure that all children will be able to participate in the future.

Hyun Sook Yoon | Chairwoman of IWPG
“There is a thing I find regrettable in this international event—that children and youth in North Korea were not able to join us. I am confident that if all youth across the globe have a great yearning for it, and our hope for peace touches heaven, we will be able to see the day when children and youth from the North take part in the event together with us. I promise that the IWPG will pour its efforts into realizing a world of peace on the drawing papers to ensure that they do not simply remain as drawings and also to make the event even better next year.”

Hwang, Soon-kyu | Vice-chair of Board of Directors of Korean Fine Arts Association
“Young children and youth are the key players who will lead the achievement of world peace. That is why it is all the more crucial that we teach them a culture of peace via drawings. Education on the culture of peace that enlightens people worldwide and brings together religions and nations should be done under the slogan, ‘We are one!’”

Ms. Yoon Ha-eun, who won the grand prize, stated in her acceptance speech that she felt peace and unification are required to resolve war and conflict, and that is the reason why she painted the drawing to convey a message of peace to people suffering from wars.

Yoon, Ha-eun  | Grand prize winner
“I believe that we have a deep yearning for peace and consider it important because words like “war” and “conflict” exist. For wars to cease, what we need are peace and unification. Hence, I drew a pure white dove, able to fly freely to anywhere in the world, carrying a rainbow-colored hope and delivering a message of peace to all the people tormented by war.”

All the drawings displayed embody the heart of children longing for a world of peace. We hope that a peaceful world that the children, who are the leaders of the future, have drawn will become a reality as soon as possible.

Chun, Lee-hyang | Director of Center for Hongik Filial Piety, Loyalty, Proprieties, and Culture
“I believe that the majority of the people dream of building a world free of wars and that the children have sown the seed to make it a reality through these drawings. I think that when the seed grows, blossoms, and bears fruit, that would be the time when the world becomes a peaceful place.”