The Ministry of Defence – June 2012

We exchanged the paintings in the frames. Children and youth from Norway, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Germany and Mexico now have an exhibition in the Leadership Building for the rest of the year. General Rajiv from India is trying to get the exhibition to his homeland.

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Sri Lanka

B.A.R.N. ble invitert av speiderbevegelsen til å gjennomføre workshops i Sri Lanka fra 26. mars - 10. april 2012. Både i tamilsk og singalesisk område har vi fått kontakter som virkeliggjør det videre arbeidet.

Kåre Willoch

Dear Catrine Gangstø

Here comes a much too late, but nevertheless heartfelt, thank you for a lovely letter from you, and to the greatest extent for the delayed “Everything changes the whole time”. I am impressed with everything you have accomplished, and believe that the use and development of children’s artistic talents are important both for the children themselves and for everyone who gets to see the results of their efforts. We must both hope and believe that such work can also contribute to understanding across political, religious and other cultural borders.

With my best wishes for the work, and

Yours sincerely Kåre Willoch

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Her kommer en altfor sen, men likevel hjertelig takk for et hyggelig brev fra deg, og i høyeste grad for heftet "Alt forandrer seg hele tiden". Jeg er imponert over alt du har fått til, og tror at bruk og utvikling av barns kunstneriske talenter er viktig både for vedkommende barn selv, og for alle som får se resultatene av deres bestrebelser. Vi må jo både håpe og tro at slikt arbeid også kan medvirke til forståelse på tvers av politiske, religiøse og andre kulturelle grenser.

Med mine beste ønsker for innsatsen, og

Vennlig hilsen

Kåre Willoch

The Office of the Prime Minister – February 2012

The Office wished for a painting from our concept “Children and youth paint for peace and friendship between people and nations”. Even Brevik, 12 years old, went to Oslo and handed over the painting himself. He was one of 17 participants from Bindal municipality on the “Peacepainting tour” in Tunisia in 2011, and he had painted the picture there.His text for the painting: “ONE STAR can look like a gleam of light, but is really a whole solar system. A number of solar systems become a galaxy, and a number of galaxies become a universe. That means that something that is small can become something big.”

Jens Stoltenberg and Even Brevik

Jens Stoltenberg and Even Brevik

Gangstø – November 2011

In November 2011, 20 Brønnøysund scouts spent a weekend at Gangstøa. We painted and went for walks in the local environment. We visited, among other things, the Bindal rural museum, the forminnerløypa that has forminner from the Viking Age and the Iron Age, and we also visited burial mounds etc. Two people from Sri Lanka were here. They invited Peacepainting to their homeland. Cooperation is under way.

Marcus Olsen

Marcus Olsen

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Exhibition at the Nansen School

I have had the pleasure of following Catrine Gangstøs art project ‘Peacepainting’ he last three years, where children from different religious backgrounds come together and unfold with color and drawings. Through a wordless language the children express feelings and thoughts that can not be expressed otherwise. We find that coping occurs, and that hate turns to hope. I am deeply moved and impressed by the work Catrine Gangstø does, which has also gained national attention. It is original, it's professional and educational well-founded - and that means a lot for the kids who are lucky enough to participate. Perhaps her work also makes the world a better place to live. I sincerely hope that Catrine Gangstø can continue her work - for the good of us all.
Inge Eidsvåg, Lillehammer, Norway 13 January 2011