CPNN

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

Joanne Tawfilis

Prior to and during the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non Violence Among Children of the World (2001-2010) The Art Miles Mural Project began creating a series of five by twelve foot murals on canvas that encompassed all eight peace keys and more. To date, more than 4,000 murals have been created by over one-half million people from more than one hundred countries.

Invitation to the Opening (click to enlarge)

The murals have been exhibited in major museums and festivals throughout the world and have received a number of prestigious awards. The murals, each one totally unique and individual reflect what is seen as a “visual documentation of modern history” because they are a reflection and expression from individuals and collectively as a group. It’s really not about the number or even the quality of the murals; it has always been about the “process” of bringing people together through mural art.

In 2014, some of the mural images were exhibited at UNESCO National Headquarters in Paris and seen by thousands of people, then in a time when violence had not escalated to the level it has this past year and the work of so many participants beautifully shown to the world thanks to the sponsorship of the US Embassy on the entrance fence line there. The Culture of Peace has ALWAYS been the cornerstone of each and every mile of murals, including the most popular of the twelve themed miles; the Environment Mile. Each mile of mural consists of four hundred forty (440) murals.

On January 22, 2016 the Muramid Mural Museum and Art Center will open it’s doors to the world as the FIRST mural museum in the world and will not only exhibit physical murals, but will include projection of murals and images of the thousands of children, youth and adult creators of them from all over the world. Another wall of the museum will be constructed to present live webcasting on large screens with and from mural creators and facilitators throughout the world. Urban artists, those working and living in refugee camps, hospitals, schools and other locations will be seen! More important and special will be those painting murals in response to natural and human disasters who will create “healing murals” from all continents in the world with the Culture of Peace pillars at the heart of each.

We welcome all muralists to participate whether you are a student, a teacher, an organizer of projects or just an ordinary citizen because this 100% all-volunteer project has always been about you. Thanks to the hard work of so many volunteers and angel philanthropists, the thousands of murals have now found a home in what is now the Muramid Mural Museum and Art Center, located in Oceanside, California, USA.

Please contact: Joanne and Fouad Tawfilis at JTawfilis@aol.com or FTawfilis@aol.com

Do the arts create a basis for a culture of peace?