| Posted: Jan. 05 2005,18:00 |
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PROGRESS: Has your organization seen
progress toward a culture of peace and nonviolence in your domain of
action and in your constituency during the first half of the Decade? |
The
Art Miles Mural Project began in 1997 and sought official recognition
from UNESCO in 2001. We were also designated a project for the
International Year of World Cultural Heritage. With the goal of
creating global harmony through art, we set about creating one mile of
murals painted on canvas with the multicultural -diversity theme.
Since that time we have launched twelve miles of murals and
completed about 25% of them with over 20,000 participants from over 100
countries. There are 440 murals in each mile and we will need
5,280 to complete the twelve miles. We have also launced several
special mural miles including the 500 foot Manhattan Memorial Mural,
the To Beslan With Love series of Murals, and now the Tsunami Series of
Murals. Our murals have been painted by school children, senior
citizens, in villages, towns and cities all over the world. Our
progress has become to spread rapidly via the increase in Mural
Marathons. In the year 2000, we created 30 murals with
participants from the UNEP ICCE in Eastbourne, England, in 2001 we
created a 120 foot mural with 1200 k-3rd graders at the Jack Jacter
Elementary School, 2002 we created 75 murals with over 1505 children
from the City of Mexico City at the Great Pyramids of Teotihuacan, in
2003, 110 murals in Valencia, Spain under the direction of Dr.
Angel Escudero, in Vienna, Austria with the Technical Museum and 750
children, and during World Peace Day at the World Prayer Society in
Amenia, Central Park and other New York locations. Mural
Marathons are being created under the direction of Fauzia Minallah from
the Funkor Art Center in Islamabad, and the renowned architect Yasmeen
Lari in Pakistan at National Historic Sites. Although it may
appear that completed numbers of murals are benchmarks or indicators,
our passion remains to bring people together through art. We hope to
create a mid Decade event in Egypt this year, and will be unveiling the
completed and beyond Environmental Mural Mile in Denver, Colorado on
Earth Day, April 22, 2005 in that city. Our murals are created by
people of all ages, including those who have physical and mental
impairments. We paint murals with war victims, traumatized
people, homeless, the incarcerated and those who simply love art and
children.
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OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
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the
Decade of the Culture of Peace has no real ooomph or visible support
from UNESCO and other UN organizations. We peacemakers seem to
advocate eachother for one another! David Adams is hidden away in
CT and there seems to be no one else overseeing what his passion
continues to do to keep us alive and connected!
Funding. Even a
token amount! Our project is totally volunteer and staffed by about a
dozen of the most dedicated, passionate and loving volunteers
imaginable. My husband and I were the primary funders for this
project and it has now evolved into at least generating most of the
materials needed by people who create the murals.
Answering
the mail. Our letters and requests for information and
participation go unanswered...in Spain, Dr. Escudero tried so hard to
get a UNESCO representative to come to his mural marathon with over 1,
200 children who created 110 murals and no one responded. In
Mexico the same happened, as in Austria, etc.
Interface with
official UNESCO representatives. Other than initial registration,
communication has been limited to what comes out in formal mass email
messages to those of us listed. Ambassador Chowdhury has been the
ONLY accessible high level representative who not only has met with us,
but responds to our email!
Lack of recognition, local endorsement
and attendance by UNESCO officials in locations where we paint murals,
even when significant media is present. has been a problem for people
who work hard at organizing and sponsoring these events...and they are
huge, colorful and positive events that would reflect well on
UNESCO and the UN. This is an area I always fault the UN
with...they could capitalize on the good things that happen out here in
the real world, and especially for projects like ours where we have
never requested funding of any kind from the UN. It is
disappointing and the press always asks if there is a UN person
present. The marathons have never been attended by a UNESCO rep
with the exception of Mrs. Breines in Pakistan.
Lack of a vehicle to publicize our events that is more public accessible and attractive to read/see
Lack
of political power to get an exhibition at the UN. Art Miles is
an incredible project, yet we have not been able to get an exhibition
in the UN in New York City because it requires so much political
influence and knowing someone.
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ACTIONS: What actions have been
undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?
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We formally organized and operate a non profit organization to focus our efforts on creating murals.
We
became advocates for the Culture of Peace News Network and try to
contribute as a regular and trained moderator. and contributing report
writer.
We have photographed and collected thousands and thousands of photographs of mural painting events.
We have been written about in scores of newspapers and magazines, televised often and had radio interviews.
We have written over 100 short stories about the mural experiences.
Had an article published for Teen Planet Magazine for Year of the Moutains
In
addition to the mural marathons mentioned above, we have continued to
paint murals in amazing places and under incredible circumstances...
we
were a main feature of activity during the Kalachakra Peace Festival
with His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 2002, and he kindly autographed our
murals.
We have participated 3x in the Vienna Run For Peace and have painted and exhibited during many candle light vigils.
We
have tried to collaborate with as many international peace related
organizations as possible including the International Education and
Resource Network, UNEP, and the International Children's Art Foundation
to name but a few.
street children in Cusco, Peru painted a mural by
candlelight dripping hot wax on the murals because that is when they
felt safe to paint.
wrote and developed the proposal to bring the
UNEP 2004 International Children's Conference on the Environment to New
London, CT and for the first time to the USA.
hosted the BAM Children's Art Exhibition
Converted
our art gallery in Vienna, Austria to THE CULTURE OF PEACE GALLERIA
where we host all kinds of mural events and peace organizations
We
launched the Peace, Unity and Healing Mural Mile ON SEPTEMBER 11,
during the tragedy at Georgetown University as a method for particpants
of the Children's Environmental Health Network to release their
emotions.
We painted murals for peace with street children in
Pakistan, with the staff and special support of the Funkor Art Center
and the children sewed their mural together.
We did murals with children in Dakar, Bangladesh, and the child prodigies of Sofa Ahmed.
Just this past week we painted murals and will continue to do so with refugees from the Traiskirchen Refugee Center in Vienna.
In
the fall we launched our celebrity mural mile in La Jolla, California
on UN Day with mural tributes and dedications to HIV AIDs and the
Hollywood Graffiti Gown modeled by Lindsay Wagner (Bionic Woman)
Shortly
thereafter, actress Lindsay Wagner invited Art Miles to paint murals
with incarcerated male inmates who are serving sentences and
participating in rehab services with her PeaceMakers Community
organization and it is a phenomenal experience.
The Senior Mural Mile was launched in 2005 in Suffern, New York with over 30 murals exhibited in a public park there.
The Blind Institute in Vienna celebrated their 200th Birthday with a mural marathon and exhibition in their facility.
We
have always celebrated this day on September 21st simultaneously and in
various parts of the world and have a significant number of murals to
prove it. We are proud of our accomplishments here and one
significant mural we have from that day was done in Washington Park in
the dark and is 120 feet long.
Our milestones are to create
one mural at a time, one mile at a time. We never dreamt it would
be twelve miles and growing! We also have planned for the
installation of a Peace Pole in Austria in the coming year,
participation in The Great Wall Mural and have done a complete planning
effort to prepare for the next five years.
Our MOST IMPORTANT event
in addition to painting murals and doing marathons, is our
collaborative effort as co-sponsors/collaborators with the Akwesasne
Mohawk Territories to host a 2006 International Indigenous Youth Peace
Summit and to establish a sustainable Peace Village.
We have been active in UNA USA Chapters in San Diego and East Lyme, CT (co-founded chapter) with Art Miles as the Catalyst
Received the Bob Marley Peace Award, World Beat Center, San Diego
This is only a partial list of the more than 1,300 murals that have been completed globally. Photos to follow...
********************************
This is one of many photos on the website of the Art Miles Mural Project.
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ADVICE: What advice would you like to
give to the Secretary-General and the General Assembly to promote a
culture of peace and nonviolence during the second half of the Decade? |
I
believe that the UN and UNESCO officials should attend functions and
recognize the organizers in any capacity possible. This is not
for me...but for those who really are on the ground and out in the
field.
There should be some kind of formal communication in addition
to CPNN and the mid-year report. I find this so unbelievable that
resolutions are passed but no one except CPNN seems to be interested in
follow up.
I also believe awards should be given to recognize
excellent Decade projects and when possible even a token amount of
funding to let one know that they believe in and support our projects.
We are very proud to be UN and UNESCO supporters, but no one answers any of our letters except Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury.
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PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and
networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the
global movement for a culture of peace? |
We
collaborate with iEARN, ICAF, Kids Saving the Earth, World Prayer
Society, CPNN, Women in Black, Gather the Women, Kids Day USA, Ivy
Walls, Traiskirchen SOS Refugee Center, Austria, Am Himmel, the Blind
Institute, UNA USA in San Diego and East Lyme, Ct, My Heroes Project,
RAWI, Funkor Art Center, Pakistan, Children's Environmental Health
Network, National Network for Youth, UNEP, American Art Therapists
Association, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, Morongo Band of Mission
Indians, Columbia University, Bard College, US Museum of Natural
History, Family Day Organization, the Blind Institute, Wien Xtra, Am
Himmel, Penobscot Indian Nation, US EPA, Boys and Girls Clubs, Girls
Inc., Soroptomist Intl (Vista), San Diego Peace and Justice Coalition,
World Beat Center
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PLANS: What new engagements are
planned by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence in the second half of the Decade (2005-2010)? |
We
have planned mural marathons for Egypt, Denver, Colorado, Atlanta,
Georgia, Miami, Florida, Angola, Indiana, Beijing, China, and Vienna,
Austria leading up the end of the Decade. We hope to unveil all
twelve miles of murals together around the Great Pyramids of Egypt in
2010.
We plan to develop products from our murals and establish a
foundation to "give back" to those organizations who need help and have
helped us.
We will continue to do murals for Beslan and Tsunami
victims and in other places that need activities for therapy and
healing, that promote the Decade of the Culture of Peace and bring
people together.
We will continue to create murals in villages from Nepal to cities in Europe, and in Latin and North America.
Our major event will be the International Indigenous Youth Peace Summit in Akwesasne Mohawk Territories in August 2006.
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Postal address of organization
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we have two:
Art Miles Mural Project, 4124 Pepperdine Ave, Oceanside, CA 92056 and
Avenida Culture of Peace Galleria, Ullmannstrasse 45, 1150 Vienna, Austria
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E-mail address of organization
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JTawfilis@aol.com
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Website address of organization
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http://www.the-art-miles-mural-project.org
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Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace
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Education for a culture of peace
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Second priority action domain of a culture of peace
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culture of peace domains
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Highest priority country of action (or international)
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International
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Second priority country of action (or international)
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