Kids Create Posters for Peace
The Lions Clubs International Peace Poster Contest has been ongoing for thirty years; this is the eleventh year since Belize has been competing. The competition encourages young people between the ages of eleven and thirteen to express their perspectives on peace through the creative art of drawing/painting. After competing in their respective countries, the winner art piece is judged internationally among submissions from the rest of the world and an overall winner is chosen. Today, Lions Club of Belize had a ceremony to award the students who participated in the competition at the national level, under the theme; “The Future of Peace.”
Duane Moody, Reporting
The 2017-2018 Belize Lions Club Peace Poster Contest saw over eight children put on paper or canvas their interpretation, through the creative art of painting and drawing the theme, “The Future of Peace.” After two months of brainstorming and realizing his vision, first form student at Saint John’s High School, Kamron Daly came out on top. This is his third year competing; he took second place last year, but this time he came out with the win.
Kamron Daly
Kamron Daly, 1st Place Winner, 2018 Peace Poster Contest
“It’s really been just a great experience being in it the last three years and it’s been so fun to compete with my other classmates. My inspiration is pretty simple. I really just want all the countries and nations to come together in the future and just make peace and have a celebration. This world war, all the stuff is crazy; it’s not right.”
Most of the children have been learning skills as part of the Primary School Art Skills Training Program of the Ministry of Education. No stranger to the creative art is Kammie Enriquez. The Saint Catherine student took second this year and, along with Daly and Amber McKoy, has competed for three consecutive years. Water colors and a little pencil work were used to complete her piece.
Kammie Enriquez
Kammie Enriquez, 2nd Place Winner, 2018 Peace Poster Contest
“It has been a learning experience for me to be able to use all the skills I’ve learnt in art class and now that I’ve come in second, it means so much to me because it shows that I really am learning and I am improving which is a great thing to me. For my piece I used completely water color but I also used a few elements of coloring pencil and of course everyone knows water color is my favorite form of art.”
Rounding up the top three was E.P. Yorke first former Jeremiah Williams. It is his first year taking on the challenge and he says he is motivated to compete next year.
Jeremiah Williams
Jeremiah Williams, 3rd Place Winner, 2018 Peace Poster Contest
“I just was inspired by some photos that I found on Google and it inspired me to create this masterpiece. It shows how the past can be changed but it will still be remembered as a memory in your mind. You can’t just let the past be there; you don’t pay mind to the past, you just move on in the future.”
Duane Moody
“How long did it take you to put it together?”
Jeremiah Williams
“[Umm] a couple weeks.”
All participants walked away with certificates of appreciation and achievement while the top three took home monetary prizes. Duane Moody for News Five.
