Date:22/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/22/stories/2006092222330200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Children at their creative best

Special Correspondent

A painting contest was held to commemorate World Peace Day

Competition was organised by Soroptimist International

Children from schools from underprivileged and rural areas as well as orphanages participated in it

Bangalore: Wars and civil unrest can be most devastating to children. Which is the reason why organisations that would rather have peace than war join the United Nation's World Peace Day.

Soroptimist International, an organisation that helps bring underprivileged children into the mainstream of education and co-curricular activities organised an art competition on Thursday at St. Joseph's Indian High School from 10 a.m. to noon.

In all, 280 children participated. The theme was international peace. The first prize in the high school category was won by Kumar R. from Ashwini Charitable Trust.

In the middle school category, the first prize was won by Christopher from St. Joseph's Indian High School. And in the primary school category, the first prize was won by Harshita from St. John's.

The children sketched and painted both the bliss of a peaceful co-existence and the horrors of war as they best understood, giving vent to their creativity and emotions. Which made their work really spontaneous and striking.

The Soroptimist of Bangalore had invited schools from the underprivileged and rural areas as well as orphanages. Some of the schools included St. Aloysius, Sarvodaya Public School, Ashwini Charitable Trust, B. Mona High School and St. John's.