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Cartooning for Peace in Geneva
- Details
- Category: WAN Art Blog
- Published on Monday, 11 July 2011 20:07
- Written by Caroline Martinez
- Hits: 360
Political cartoons use art and humor to help us make sense of some of the most complicated issues facing the world. While political commentators and pundits often require long essays or heated rhetoric to make their points, great political cartoonists can sum up complex issues with nothing more than one clever image.
Former United Nations Secretary General and Nobel Peace Prize winner Kofi Annan certainly agrees that political cartoons can be extremely powerful. In 2006, he invited 12 of the world’s best known political cartoonists to the UN headquarters in New York for a conference called “Unlearning Intolerance.” This event led to the creation of an organization called Cartooning for Peace, whose mission is to “promote better understanding and mutual respect between people of different faiths and cultures.”
That mission is accomplished in part through exhibitions all over the world, such as the one that took place in Geneva, Switzerland, until July 10. 100 cartoons were on display on the shore of Lake Geneva, featuring work form many distinguished international artists covering different themes, such as human rights, poverty, climate change, censorship and armed conflict.
Below are some shots of individual cartoons on display.
This piece, by Swiss artist Chappatte, comments on the Arab Spring revolutions and the potential for social media to empower people who face poverty and political oppression.
French artist Wiaz juxtaposes an American soldier in a gas mask with an Afghan woman in a burqa.
This cartoon by American artist Danziger comments on the issue of censorship in modern Russia.
This beautiful image by Boligán, of Mexico, depicts environmental damage from industrial pollution.
All photographs by Caroline Martinez.