ISLAMABAD: The Netherlands, in collaboration with Sir Syed Institute of Leadership, invited students from private and public schools and colleges to participate in a cartoon competition based around the theme of peace and justice.

A lecture and demonstration in cartooning were also delivered by Nigar Nazar, an eminent cartoonist of Pakistan and the creator of ‘Gogi’, at the Sir Syed Auditorium.

Article 90 is a unique article in the Dutch Constitution, as it calls for the ‘promotion and development of international law’.

This is, therefore, an important priority for the Netherlands as well as legal obligation.

Together with World Press Photo, the city of The Hague and the Dutch Foreign Ministry, Cartoon Movement has launched a new project involving cartoonists, photographers and students from around the world in a global debate about peace and justice.

As part of this project, the Dutch embassies and ambassadors around the world have collaborated with professional photographers and cartoonists to give guest lectures at schools and universities in several countries.

Cartoonists and photographers showcased the importance of their work, much as Nigar did at the event, while the ambassadors, like Marcel de Vink in Pakistan, spoke of the relevance of peace and justice in the turbulent modern world.

Cartoonists and photographers showcase the importance of their work

Ambassador de Vink said: “The Netherlands is particularly committed to involving youth in the promotion of peace and justice. That is why the Netherlands’ Embassy, together with World Press Photo, the city of The Hague and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has launched the Cartoon Movement.”

He added that, today, everyone needs to be an ambassador of peace in the world.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands has always been a strong advocate for peace and justice, focusing on the peaceful settlement of international disputes and respect for human rights and international law.

The Netherlands, especially the city of Hague, is home to many international legal institutions, such as the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

Ambassador de Vink stated: “The Hague houses more than 160 international organisations and 18,000 people are working there, daily, to make our world safer and more peaceful.”

For the competition, the students will share their ideas about local solutions that can contribute to international justice, after listening to the guest lecture.

Students can submit their thoughts in the form of tweets, sketches, comments and photos, and the professional cartoonist collaborating with the embassy will turn them into proper cartoons.

At the end of the project, the 10 best cartoons in the world will be selected by an international jury. These will be displayed at the Peace Palace in The Hague, in the week following September 21, the International Day of Peace.

Ambassador de Vink affirmed that each individual has a responsibility to make the world a safer and more just place, saying, “You, the students of today, are the ambassadors of tomorrow and are not only representatives of Pakistan, but also global citizens. Each of you has a voice which can be heard – this competition is for you to raise that voice and share your feelings and expressions on peace and justice at an international platform.”

The ambassador mentioned that the Netherlands is a hub for trade sharing, which means that while the Dutch grow no mangoes in Pakistan, they are the third largest importers of mangoes in the world and the second largest exporters.

Brigadier Iqbal Shafi, head of the Sir Syed Memorial Society, said: “I was privileged to study at Aligarh University where Quaid-i-Azam used to frequent and inspire through ideas of peace, justice and love.”

He quoted Jinnah, “Education does not merely mean academic education, what we have to do is to mobilise our people and build up the character of our future generations.”

He strongly encouraged students to take advantage of the marvellous opportunity offered by the international cartoon competition to share their ideas about peace and justice.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2014