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An art therapy workshop in Jaranwala for children traumatised by attacks
A local association, Lok Vehar, organised the activity to raise awareness among residents about the effects on minors of last August’s attacks on Christian homes and churches. The drawings were seen in parallel to those made by students who did not experience the violence. The initiative shows the importance of fighting discrimination from an early age.
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Faisalabad (AsiaNews) – The Lok Vehar development organisation yesterday celebrated International Day of Peace with an art therapy workshop dedicated to Christian children who have suffered trauma as a result of religious violence.
The event involved five private schools in Faisalabad and 85 Christian children aged 3-17 from Jaranwala, the city where many Christian homes and churches were attacked by Islamic extremists in August.
The activity gave participating children the opportunity to communicate emotions through creative expression and to explore the differences between children who live in a peaceful environment and those who have suffered traumatic experiences. The aim is to promote psychological healing.
Among its various benefits, art therapy allows people to externalise inner turmoil, reducing anguish and anxiety.
The drawings by Faisalabad school children were very different from those by Christian children in Jaranwala. While the former drew scenes of nature and joyful interactions, the latter drew distressing elements, illustrating pain, fear, loneliness, helplessness, and the loss of home and religious symbols.
The initiative was intended to show the effects of violence on minors and the need to provide support to Christian children who have experienced discrimination and witnessed attacks against churches.
The Lok Vehar organisation framed the paintings by the children in Jaranwala and installed them inside a community hall in Warispura parish.
The event was not only designed to raise awareness in the local population about the traumas of children. Lok Vehar has also set out to address bullying in schools and promote peaceful coexistence among children from different backgrounds.
"Lok Vehar will collaborate with both government and private schools to instil values of inclusivity and empathy in young students," Saiqa Kaur, director of the organisation, told AsiaNews.
“By bringing children from different backgrounds into the same learning environment, we aim to teach the importance of embracing diversity and living together harmoniously,” she explained. To this end, “We will continue working with the children of Jaranwala and will try our best with the help of experts to heal their wounds.”
What is more, “Through our commitment for inclusive education and promoting acceptance, diversity, and peaceful coexistence, Lok Vehar aims to create a generation of young individuals who actively appreciate and respect differences.”
Ultimately, “We are trying to serve as a testament to the power of peace education in shaping a brighter, more unified future for Jaranwala and beyond,” Saiqa Kaur said in concluding.
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11/09/2023 14:28
22/03/2024 12:13
