The seeds of peace
The project
My participation in Unesco’s Contest “Pathways to a Culture of Peace: Global Contest for Mutual Understanding” , consists of a short-length animation film, made with the stop- motion technique and by 232 individual photos combined with the Windows Live Movie Maker Programme (Window 07 edition). The implementation was devised into three parts: preparation of the paper pieces, shooting process and composition of the separated parts with a computer programme. It was an exciting experience that lasted six days or approximately 22 hours and resulted in the film titled “THE SEEDS OF PEACE – A STOP MOTION FILM BY: ELENA K”.
In the one-minute film, we see the seeds of Peace being planted, watered with the values of humanity, altruism and solidarity and grown up into a big strong tree on whose branches, the products of a Culture of Peace, spring up. These “products” are tolerance, empathy, justice, mutual understanding, dialogue, love, respect, unity, freedom, art, peace education… and many more. With this metaphor, every-day peace becomes a “seed” that must be planted with care in the human society. Afterwards, it must be watered with some universal and eternal values, so the seeds of peace grow into a big strong tree. It is on its branches where the products of a culture of peace will grow.
My work consists of a stop motion film titled “The Seeds of Peace”. In its one-minute duration, we see the “seeds of peace” planted and grown into a big strong tree, full of dynamism and motion on its leaves. As the tree grows some “tags” spring up on the branches. These are the products” of a healthy peace-tree planted with love and grown with non-stop care. With this metaphor, everyday-peace becomes a “seed” that must be planted with care in the human society. Afterwards, it must be watered with values in order to grow big and strong. These values are humanity, solidarity and altruism. So, in the end, the meaning of “everyday peace”, this dynamic, on-going process becomes reality. I think, that my work is relevant to a culture of peace because I think it is a quite good allegory of its meaning. From my perspective, a culture of peace is a culture where the universal and eternal value of peace is the “seed”, and every moral, custom, value and ideal included in it cultivates and promotes Peace. Every “product” of a culture of peace grows on the branches of peace.
