CAMDEN — The elementary students at Children’s House Montessori House, in Camden, are participating in the Global Art Project for Peace. Each child decorated a felt figure to represent him/herself and his/her pledge to be a peacemaker. The felt figures join hands around the Earth to “Sing Peace Around the World.”

This song was written by a Montessori parent to commemorate the strong role of peace education in a Montessori school. The textile artwork is being circulated throughout the region before being sent to their global art project partner in Singapore.

The mission of the Global Art Project is to joyously create a culture of peace through art. This international art exchange has involved over 160,000 participants in 95 countries on all seven continents. Participants around the world create, exhibit, and exchange art in any medium expressing their ideas of a peaceful global community resulting in thousands of messages of peace and goodwill simultaneously encircling the Earth during the week of April 23-30. The art is sent as a gift of global friendship and exhibited in the receiving community. Jade Door students will exchange art with a class of students in Singapore. Teacher Germaine Koomen has participated in this project since 1999 and her classes have exchanged peace messages with students in Australia, China, Romania, and Columbine High School, amongst many.

“The mission of the Global Art Project is to joyously create a culture of peace through art,” said founder/director, Katherine Josten, in a Children’s House news release. “For over 20 years the Project has been dedicated to the idea that ‘Peace cannot be achieved through violence. It can only be attained through understanding.’ The Project has been a beacon of hope that peace is possible. It teaches that we are all responsible for creating our future through our choices and we can choose to create peace. Through the Global Art Project for Peace, participants in local communities are given an opportunity to join together to create a cooperative global community.”

The Global Art Project for Peace is a 501(c)3 non-profit, volunteer organization. Organizers invite donations and sponsorships to support the Project. For additional information about the Global Art Project for Peace and how to get involved by participating, volunteering and/or funding the Project, visit www.globalartproject.org .

 
Established in 1979, Children’s House Montessori is located in the historic Elm Street School in downtown Camden and provides child-centered education in Midcoast Maine for children between the ages of 18 months to 10 years. Montessori education promotes the development of the whole child, facilitates the natural growth of self-discipline, and cultivates each child's inherent joy in learning. For more information, visit www.camdenmontessori.org or call 236-2911.