Ministry of culture forum on children's arts
Syria, Culture, 5/16/2002

The Minister of culture and National guidance Najwa Qassab Hassan on May 13th at the Damascus Arab cultural center opened the first national workshop on children ' arts. It is organized by the ministry of culture in collaboration with UNICEF's office in Damascus.

In a speech she delivered, the minister stressed that every and each child is talented in one aspect of expression so as this talent should be cared about and refined.

Among other things, this workshop which lasts for three days aims at revitalizing the role of art in bringing up children psychologically; physically and culturally. It also aims at addressing the role of supervisors concerned with children as from the pre-elementary school and the age of 18 year old to attain set objectives.

The workshops has focused on the role played by the family to tend children artistic talents in home- education; the role of the school in understanding the task of art and its role in education; the role played by peoples organizations concerned with children through refining children artistic talents; and characteristics of children ' arts and its connection to education.

The opening ceremony was attended by UNICEF's representative in Damascus Mohamed Bindress Alami; representatives for the ministries of education, culture, and higher education, the general federation of women, the Baath Vanguards Organization, the Revolution's Youth Union ( RYU) and other sides concerned. In a statement to Arabic news (ArabicNews.com) UNICEF's Representative in Damascus Mohamed Bindress Alami said that this activity is part of child's participation which is a very important area of the CRC. The children, he said have the capacity to express themselves through painting, drawing, singing, etc. And it is very important for the parents and societies to listen to them and understand their own expression.

He explained that in UNICEF Syria:" We are very happy to have this division of child culture as part of the Ministry of Education in Syria as an instrument to co-ordinate and establish a global framework to develop child culture." He continued that the children should be given the chance to express themselves through painting, and this is the way to translate into concrete figurations their own feelings, reflecting the environment in which they are living.

He added that most of the participants this workshop are familiar with child issues in particular: artists, psychologists and other specialists dealing with children, in particular with Kindergartens.

Alami outlined: " I am referring here to the Syrian General Federation of Women; the ministry of education, the Baath Vanguards Organization (BVO) and other institutions concerned, dealing with children issues." On his expectations out of this workshop, Mr. Alami added: " we expect as outcome of this workshop to have a clear strategy to be the framework of Child culture in particular related to art," noting that this will help different actors to facilitate child participation and educate the families to give necessary attention to this very dimension, which is very crucial for developing child's personality, child powerful and child's contribution to different decisions, relevant to his situation and opinions.

Previous Stories:
  Syria participates in UN General Assembly session on Children   (5/6/2002)
  Syria, UNICEF sign master plan of cooperation for 2002- 2006   (4/15/2002)
  Joint Syrian ministry of labor, UNICEF first forum on children   (4/5/2002)

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