“Every single kid wants peace and thinks of it as an inalienable right of all humans who should be entitled to always live and interact in an environment free of pain and fear.”
Last September, 3,000 kids from schools in the towns and villas from the San José Pinula community in Guatemala got together with one goal in mind: to express their feelings about peace and project their true opinions, thoughts, and feelings toward the high levels of violence their communities experience every day. Via a drawing competition called “Peace and Communitarian Violence," they gave free reign to their imagination and creativity to artistically reveal their most honest fears and feelings. 
“Because I’m someone who works every day for a more peaceful Guatemala, the community invited me to be a part of the jury,” says Andrés Armas, Play for Peace trainer in Guatemala, about his role in this special contest. “The goal was to identify the most significant and expressive drawings regarding peace and violence, not so much the best drawings, but the ones who conveyed their message the best." It was a great opportunity for kids from different ages and backgrounds to get together and listen to one another; realize their everyday realities can be similar or not related to one another whatsoever and reflect on their situation and that one of others. It boosts confidence and plants the seeds of hope and proactivity. “Personally, it was a very nice experience," comments Andrés.
"Since I got to witness how every single kid wants peace and think of it as an inalienable right of all humans who should be entitled to always live and interact in an environment free of pain and fear. “All in all, I would define it as sad and interesting to see how kids perceive violence in their communities, homes, and schools. I see we need to work in these places and with these people because there are no programs or projects with a permanent character focused on preventing violence and boosting peace,” he concluded.
