In a united effort to take a stand against gun violence in Jamaican schools, the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament, and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) and the Jamaican Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY) have launched a competition entitled “Music and Art for Change: Preventing Firearm Violence in Schools”. This initiative invites students aged 12 to 19 across Jamaica to use their artistic and musical talents to convey the powerful message of peace and gun violence prevention.
The “Music and Art for Change” competition seeks to harness the transformative power of music and art to address and prevent firearms possession and violence in schools. By encouraging Jamaican youth to create art and music that promote peace, this initiative aspires to shape a positive narrative that stands against the normalization of gun violence.
The competition emphasizes that guns are not symbols of power or strength. True strength is found in standing firm in one’s values, prompting peace, unity, and positive change through creative self-expression. Respect is earned through kindness and establishing non-violent conflict resolution in communities, while cultivating positive influences. By embracing these principles, the initiative aims to support and inspire the younger generation to reject violence and build safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.
How to Participate
The competition invites Jamaican students aged 12 to 19 to submit their artistic creations, including paintings, drawings, graphic designs, photographs or musical compositions, by 28 October. Entries should reflect the core message of non-violence and peace, promoting the prevention of the possession of firearms and their use in schools.
The competition opens on 18 September, and will run until 21 October 2024.
Between 21 October to 10 November, entries will be reviewed, and the public will have the chance to vote for their favorites submissions via social media.
On 11 November 2024, UNLIREC, in collaboration with Jamaica´s MOEY, will announce the finalists.
The competition will culminate in a final event on 27 November held in Kingston, Jamaica.
“Music and Art for Change: Preventing Firearms Violence in Schools” is part of the activities carried out by the United Nations and Jamaican authorities under the Saving Lives Entity (SALIENT) fund initiative in Jamaica. This initiative seeks to tackle armed violence in Jamaica as part of a comprehensive approach to sustainable security and development.
This competition supports the implementation of the Youth, Peace, Security agenda; the United Nations General Assembly resolutions on Youth, disarmament and non-proliferation as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (UNLIREC) plays a vital role in advancing arms control, fostering peace, and supporting sustainable development across the region.
The Jamaican Ministry of Education and Youth (MOEY) is committed to improving educational outcomes and the well-being of students across Jamaica.
For more information, please email to music-art@unlirec.org.
