Are Jerusalem’s children on the way to breaking the Guinness Book of Records?

Children Dreaming Jerusalem project – an exhibition of paintings by kindergarten children in Jerusalem, will include thousands of paintings from all sectors of the city, which will be mounted on the ceiling of the light rail cars in Jerusalem.

Mayor Nir Barkat visited the Tali Children’s Park in Kiryat Yovel this morning as part of the preparations for the project “Children Dreaming Jerusalem.” Barkat was joined by Yaron Ravid, CEO of CityPass Light Rail and representative of the Israel Parents’ Association Elyasaf.

As part of the project, 5,000 paintings drawn by kindergarten children from all over Jerusalem – Jews, Christians and Muslims, secular, chareidi, eastern Jerusalem, religious and special education students – will be placed on the ceiling of the Jerusalem light rail. The project is unprecedented in scale, and therefore the organizers submitted the Guinness World Record.

The project was born in honor of Jerusalem and following the election of Jerusalem as the annual theme of the education system. This is a joint initiative of the Parents’ Association, the Ministry of Education and a number of bodies in the Jerusalem Municipality: The Education Administration, the Department of Plastic Arts, The Culture, Society, Sports & Leisure Administration of the Jerusalem Municipality and the CityPass Light Railway Company in Jerusalem.

Nir Barkat, Mayor of Jerusalem: “Jerusalem is a city that makes all of Israel friends, and our city has an important role to play in the search for the common denominator and the author.” The light rail is an axis connecting all the different parts and neighborhoods in our city and society. To work for unity and a common language among the various sectors, a seed of unity that was sown at an early age will accompany the children for many years to come. ”

“Children who are educated in Jerusalem towards tolerance and respect for others are the future and hope for a different, united and closer Jerusalem that knows how to embrace all its inhabitants and bring a message to the State of Israel and to the entire world. This is not naive or innocent, but a sober vision that knows that change can occur only if you start kindergarten and with real action.”

“The Children’s Light Rail project is another opportunity for us to support important community-social activities that unite and empower the capital, as we do throughout the year in various projects connected with the community,” said Yaron Ravid, CEO of CityPass Jerusalem Light Rail. Presenting the works of the children of Jerusalem on the light train excites us and will do a good job both for the children and the families and for the passengers on the light rail. We will continue to work together with the communities in the city in order to continue doing good to Jerusalem. ”

Merav Sleiman, supervisor of the Ministry of Education coordinator: “The kindergartens supervisors in the city of Jerusalem are proud to take part in this unique project, which enables artistic expression of kindergarten children from all sectors of the city.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Jerusalem Municipality Spokesperson)