Picture Title: “Over the Rainbow”

　For “the Mini-Guernica project”, Hirosawa nursery school students created wall painting at the Wakoshi station of Tobu-Tojo line in Saitama, Japan. Twenty children in senior class worked on this project as graduate memory.
  We hope people to receive a message of “peace”, when people look at this “piece” of painting.

Why Guernica?

　Guernica is a symbol of world peace.  “Kids Guernica International Peace Wall Project” was found for kids to learn respect for peace and for people to receive a message of peace from kids.  Hirosawa nursery school decided to participate in this project by hoping many people in Japan and another countries to look at this painting.

What is peace?

　As an introduction, children read two books on war.  Some kids were feeling sad knowing that a flying fish, the main character of one book, became sick because of war.  Some kids cried wondering why an elephant in a zoo had to be killed with poison during wartime in the other.  Then, we asked children, “What is peace?”

They said the following；
　　　　　We all want to be together.  Let’s be friends.
　　　　　We don’t want the earth to be destroyed.
　　　　　It is great to eat various foods.
　　　　　Nobody needs to use a knife to kill people.
　　　　　We don’t want to be shot by a gun.
　　　　　It would be wonderful that war doesn’t occur.
　　　　　We don’t like an oddity.
　　　　　No more Tsunami and earthquake.
　　　　　We feel comfortable if we can reduce garbage.
　　　　　Smoking is bad for health, so we should get rid of it.
　　　　　etc.

There were opinions not only on war but also on earth ecology.  We wish the earth to be beautiful and clean, and people on it to be good friends.

Paint for the ‘peace’.
　As symbols of peace, we decided to paint dove, rainbow, and smiles of kids in the wall painting.  Dove is known as a peaceful animal in mythology.  Rainbow is like a bridge that connects nations in the world.  Also it is only seen in a clean environment as children wished.

　In this wall painting for the first step, the teachers designed dove and rainbow, and kids drew their own smiles on small papers.  And then, students, at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, traced the original picture on an aluminum board.  Finally, children started painting on the aluminum board.

Participants
Twenty children from the class of 2004.  Wako-shi, Hirosawa nursery school.

Representative
Mrs. Yayoi Ogasawara
Chief director

Teacher
Akiko Shono, teacher in charge.
Asuka Hamashima, teacher in charge.

Supports
Department of environment, Wako-shi city hall.
Nicker company.
Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music