UNICEF gets a face lift
In a non descript building consisting of several floors, a lift, and a basement car park, many people from different nations around the world work with one common aim - that of protecting the rights of children.. It is here where staff from Kenya, Holland, Germany, Mauritania, Spain, Switzerland, England and Iran spend their days, trying to make the world a better place for children. The one feature that seems to stick out, however, is the entrance. In order to enter the UNICEF building, people might be surprised to find that they have to pass through a tiny enclosed area resembling a prison cell – complete with iron walls, steel bars and flashing alarms. The reason is because of security. The best way to avoid this bleak atmosphere is to give children themselves a chance to decorate it. So UNICEF invited children from an NGO called the Cultural Protective Centre for Working Children to decorate the space with the theme ‘My Ideal World’. One Friday, early in the morning, five girls and one boy aged between 12 to 15 arrived together with a carer. An artist -Jinous Taghizadeh-, was also invited to help guide the children in putting their ideas into action. She had experience working with children before and knows their language well. They were bursting with ideas but all agreed on one thing – that every child has the right to live in a beautiful natural world full of vivid colors. “I want to show in my painting that there is no difference among children,” said 15-year-old Sakineh, drawing children with different colored skin beside each other. “When people see this mural everyone who enters the office should feel the connection that UNICEF has with children”. Drawing first in pen and then afterwards in thick paint, the children worked throughout the hot summer’s day. Mehrdad liked to make his world more beautiful by drawing horses and butterflies. 12-year old Faezeh was thinking of the following day when all the people coming to the office would be so happy to see the colorful painting. The day will be remembered because of the children, Sakineh’s beautiful drawings, Mehrdad’s naughtiness and Faezeh’s enthusiasm. For many years to come any guest visiting the UNICEF office will be welcomed warmly by these children’s happy paintings.
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