Art in aid of refugees goes on display

This week, Orkney Friends of Palestine are displaying the entries to their Young People’s Art and Photography Competition at For Arts Sake, Kirkwall.

The competition was open to all artists between the ages of 5 and 25 with the theme of “What Makes Me Happy.”

The charity, who have been raising money in aid of children living in Shu’fat Refugee Camp, were delighted by all the entries they received. With pieces titled Party Giraffe and Birthday Bird, how can you not smile?

All the artists have been very generous as well, allowing their pieces to be sold to raise money for the Shu’fat Refugee Camp Appeal.

The Shu’fat Refugee Camp is just North of Jerusalem, which has a population of around 30,000, is roughly the size of Stromness. I currently under control of the Israeli Defence Force.  Children are often injured or are born with disabilities caused by the poor sanitation within the camp. The aim of the appeal is to provide much-needed things such as therapists and mobility equipment for these children.

Orkney Friends of Palestine hope to raise £3,500 for the Appeal this year, with gallery sales helping them towards this target.

One wall of the exhibition displays examples of drawings by Palestinian children who live within the camp. Some children have drawn what we would regard as normal desires: green spaces to play in, beaches and smiling people holding hands. Others, however, have drawn reflections of their reality — trees weep while people try to cross barbed wire fences and people lay injured on the ground as helicopters whirl in the sky.

In addition to the competition entries, local artist Gloria O’Shea has donated a few pieces of work, proceeds of which will also go towards the appeal. For Arts Sake and Orkney Friends of Palestine are urging folk to do just a little to help change the lives of those living in the refugee camp.