India: Harnessing Creativity, Young People Rise Up for Peace and Justice with Arts 

Sanawar, Himachal Pradesh/10 May 2024: “Art, in a subtle way, reflects a person's deep emotions. It brings people together and serves as a powerful medium through which we as young people can channel our creativity for social change,” 17-year-old Saanvi Banyaana said, as she guided younger students in giving final touches to a painting depicting social divides. Across the hall, a group of young minds discussed creative ways to visualise justice, while outside, their friends prepared songs and dances on social themes.

Amid a dash of colours, clay and music, these were the scenes at the Lawrence School, Sanawar--nestled in the serene hills of Himachal Pradesh--where a vibrant group of students from 8 educational institutions—including government and rural schools--converged for a reflective two-day Arts4SDG16 workshop. Spearheaded as part of UNODC's RiseUp4Peace initiative, the workshop enabled young people to learn about social challenges related to SDG16, explore the power of art in bridging divides and challenging injustices, and co-create artwork for awareness and advocacy.

Over two days, students unleashed their creativity to raise awareness on important themes: discrimination, cybercrime, gender-based violence, inequalities, violence and corruption. Mr. Arjun Singh Kochhar, a renowned artist from Delhi and Mr. Samarth Pathak, Communications Officer for UNODC South Asia, co-facilitated the workshop.

One group created a sculpture representing the impact of corruption and injustice on peace in societies. “We see raw clay as something waiting to be moulded into something meaningful and powerful. In the same way, we believe our collective efforts as young people can shape an inclusive and just future,” they said. Another composed and performed a unique SDG16 anthem in support of peace and the rule of law. 

“Our painting is inspired by a female victim of war. We have tried to show how life would have been different for her, had there been peace, justice and non-violence in society,” some students said, showcasing their work.

Engaging with the students, Mr. Marco Teixeira, UNODC Regional Representative for South Asia and Dr. Satya Bhushan from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) appreciated their efforts. "This collaboration between UNODC and The Lawrence School Sanawar has been one of deep impact. The voices of these students demand a world free of violence, injustice and inequalities and we stand committed to empower them in this direction," Mr. Teixeira said. Dr. Satya Bhushan echoed this sentiment. "Art in education is a powerful tool to harness students’ energy for constructive purposes," he noted.

Mr. Himmat Singh Dhillon, the Headmaster of The Lawrence School, Sanawar, said, "Our school is committed to taking forward the pedagogical goals of art integration as envisaged in the National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework. This workshop showed the effectiveness of educating students with art on global themes such as peace, justice, and non-violence.”

Together, the students drafted the “Arts4SDG16 Declaration,” a heartfelt commitment to promote peace and the rule of law through education and art. The declaration featured ideas of the future young people want: a world with equal opportunities for everyone, where communities prioritise action on mental and health and well-being, where young people are empowered and educated to promote social harmony and justice, among others.

“It was great to reflect on Global Goals and engage with our peers from other schools. I really enjoyed being part of the discussions,” said Namasya, a student. Another student, Aditi Rastogi, added, “To have such a moving experience is rare. I am grateful to be a part of this workshop.”

The participating Schools included Army Public School Dagshai, St. Mary’s Convent- Kasauli, Kasauli International Public School, MRADAV Public School- Solan, Government Senior Secondary School, Kasauli, Government Senior Secondary School-Sanawar, Government Senior Secondary School, Dharampur and the host school, The Lawrence School, Sanawar.

Join the RiseUp4Peace initiative:  t.ly/lh9T7

This activity contributes to SDG 4, SDG 16 and SDG 17: https://sdg-tracker.org/