Artistic celebration of International Peace Day

The art gallery "Abbas Gallery'' in Bahrain hosted a cultural event on 21 September on the occasion of International Peace Day, with the participation of several artists, creative entrepreneurs, school students, and UN officials to convey a message of peace from Bahrain to the world.

Abbas Almosawi, the curator of the "Abbas Almosawi Gallery" spoke to UNIC Manama about the initiative's purpose: "This initiative aims to highlight the role of art and creativity in advocating for peace at a time when the world is floundering in multiple crises, and the culture of peace is shrinking worldwide".

“Our world needs peace more than ever before. This year’s theme for the International Day of Peace, “Our ambition to achieve global goals,” serves as a call for both individual and collective action in the pursuit of peace, which contributes to achieving the SDGs, which in turn consolidate the culture of peace," Ahmed Ben Lassoued, Director of the United Nations Information Center for the Gulf Countries in Manama (UNIC Manama), said.

Creative entrepreneurs supported by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) took part in the exhibition. They showcased their creativity through paintings that beautifully expressed peace, love, and coexistence themes.

Dr Hashim Hussain, Head of the UNIDO Office in the Kingdom of Bahrain, said, “The creative economy (or orange economy) is playing an increasing role in the global economy and also contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 16 related to peace. We at the UNIDO Office in Bahrain work to support creative entrepreneurs.”