I would love to have feedback from all of you in your area of the world as to the ways we can use art to make the world a better place. It can be for an individual, a group of people, for the globe..it can be for a greener world, or a more peaceful world, or a world where we bypass politics and reach out to each other. In living in many other countries for extended lengths of time, the one thing I learned well is people are wonderful everywhere, it is the governments that divide us and make us feel distance from each other. I have learned so much from other cultures and learned quickly that my culture is not the center of the world, but that I am a citizen of a larger world and we are all a member of the human race. We share a planet, we breathe the same air, and depend on the same resources. We all love, feel pain and sadness, we all hurt, and we all struggle and suffer with bad times and obstacles. We are more alike than we are different. I truly believe art can make a difference as a flux for people to work together in a peaceful hopeful way, learning and sharing. When I lived in the Philippines I learned how close family relationships can be, I learned how loved a child can be by all the members of a family, I learned that patience and a soft voice can go a long way. I learned what being a host was, when a guest was present. I also learned the loudest people in any room were Americans. When I lived in Turkey I learned what hospitality was truly about. I learned loyalty to friendship were paramount. I learned religions different from my own were not threatening, but interesting. I learned about the value of tradition. I have learned the value of traditional functional arts.
I have learned from where ever I have traveled and lived. It is the university of the world, if you are open to learn. I learned no matter how small the country, how rural the area, there were things that were superior to civilized countries.
Here is a site I recently saw on line that supports local artists in rural areas and supports indigenous cultures. It is called Better World Arts. Another positive idea that is helping end gang graffiti and promote a more peaceful environment is the Philadelphia Mural Project. To see all the murals takes three different tours and several days. The key to the success of the program was community involvement.
If you have difficulty leaving comments on the site, just e-mail me directly with your ideas and suggestions. My e-mail address is rabbits5@aol.com
Please join me in this quest, together we can do a lot! Lets reach out and make the world a better place through the arts!
