Best Peace Posters revealed

PUPILS from Surf Coast Primary School have expressed their compassion through art, with works now on show across Torquay.

The Torquay Lions Peace Poster Contest invited the pupils to inspire the world through art and creativity, using this year’s theme “Lead With Compassion”.

Club president praised the works and encouraged the community to visit the students’ displays in the Surf Coast Library, the old Bendigo Bank shopfront in Gilbert Street, and the old toy shop shopfront near the IGA supermarket.

“The posters will be on display during library hours until early November and in the shopfronts all day.”

Torquay Lions Peace Poster competition organiser Neil Roche said the Peace Poster competition was increasingly popular in Lions Clubs throughout the world.

“Each year more than 600,000 young people from many countries around the world participate in the contest”, he said.

“Since the initial competition in 1988, more than six million youth in schools and youth groups have enthusiastically applied creative skills and close attention to the annual contest theme, rules, and criteria to express individual visions of peace in their colourful posters.

“The contest presents a unique, enjoyable, and enriched educational experience for youth.

“It enriches school curriculum areas of learning, creating, communicating, technology and achievement.”

Ashmore Arts illustrator, artist and designer Natalie Martin was the local judge for the 2022 edition of the contest.

‘I understand Natalie had a difficult task selecting from the batch of finalists on display in the Surf Coast Library,” Mr Roche said.

Bellbrae Primary School Grade 5 pupil Pippa Hynes,

was judged the winner of the “Lead With Compassion” contest, with fellow Bellbrae Primary School Grade 5 pupil Rex Kadera named runner-up.

Mr Roche said the Peace Poster contest contributed to the further development of artistic and writing skills, self-expression, and personal growth.

“Sharing ideas and messages of peace and acknowledging youth positive efforts and achievements, makes the poster project very satisfying.”

For more than three decades, Lions clubs around the world have been sponsoring the art contest in schools and youth groups.

The Lions International Peace Poster Contest is one of many Lions Clubs International Youth Programs that aim to provide opportunities for self-development, education, contribution, and achievement for young people.