Dear National Coordinators,
Dear teachers and students,
We are celebrating WORLD ART DAY on 15th April 2020. World Art Day is a new UNESCO international day, proclaimed at the 40th session of UNESCO’s General Conference in November 2019.
This day will encourage a greater awareness for the diversity of artistic expression and promote Arts Education, as well as encourage creativity and raise cultural awareness in the twenty-first century.
The Director-General agrees that the arts are important for promoting the appreciation of cultural diversity, for sustaining creativity and for stimulating innovation in the spirit of the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity proclaimed by UNESCO in 2001.
Since ASPnet origins in 1953, learning in and through the arts has always been an important approach in promoting UNESCO´s values, in particular, Education for Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development, cultural diversity and its heritage.
Why are we celebrating the Arts? Because we believe the arts are a way of reflecting and expressing our holistic experiences and address the cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioral dimension of learning. In short, the arts and culture contribute to inclusive learning and empowerment, which are essential for human development.
In the current situation and due to COVID-19, the role of arts and culture has never been more important for our well-being and resilience. Listening to our music, drawing pictures and singing together with our family members are ways to relax and to find peace of mind.
Therefore, we dedicate this issue to sharing and spreading messages and artworks of joy and solidarity!
Our special thanks go to H.E. the Honorable Minister for Education of Bhutan, Jai Bir Rai, who sent us a heartfelt message addressing the school community around the world.
Let´s celebrate the power of arts and Arts Education – even from home! We invite you to share with us your ideas and thoughts on this special day!
Stay safe. Stay CONNECTed!
Special Message from His Excellency Jai Bir Rai, the Education Minister of Bhutan
Video message ----
Biography
The COVID-19, has affected every country around the world and, we are aware that every country is putting their best efforts to defeat the deadly disease. In case of my country, under the dynamic leadership of our King, also having a medical doctor as PM and with cooperation from the people, we are able to keep everyone safe and secure. So far, there is no human mortality caused by COVID-19 in the country.
However learning has not stopped and eLearning platforms are activated to air the lessons prepared by our educationist. At the same time, we also encourage our children to explore the real essence of education through reading, meditating, painting, dancing and other forms of arts. These activities are initiated to nurture their creativity, boost their innovation and more importantly, to keep them psychologically, socially, emotionally and physically strong during the crisis.
On behalf of Bhutan and Bhutanese people, I would like to wish a very happy World Art Day. The 2020 Art Day is even more relevant where every people in the world is fighting against the common enemy, COVID-19, that has affected the entire humanity. The day can be marked with portrayals of inner journeys and self-reflection through different forms of arts.
Thank you.
You can find the Minister's vision for the role of Youth for ESD
here. |
Celebrating World Art Day (15th April) – even from home!
For example:
 Sing, dance and act with peers on digital platforms
Engage your families in activities
Read out poems and stories
Create a story for a musical piece/composition or draw a painting to music
Add voice narration or sing along to a story
Create a rhythmical pattern with objects you can find at home
Create artworks reflecting your current situation
Participate in the #ShareOurHeritage exhibition (please find information below)… |
Let´s celebrate Arts with the ASPnet Team!
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Get creative and share your ideas on… - How to celebrate World Art Day under the current situation of COVID-19?
- What doing Arts means for yourself?
Send us your artwork, ideas and messages! Find more information about
World Art Day and learn about the launch of the global movement
ResiliArt. |
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We are also working on a survey to collect and share the inspiring work on Arts Education through the entire network. We are looking forward to learn more about creative and engaging projects and about the role of Arts within all member schools!
Getting ready 😊
From 25 to 31 May 2020, we are celebrating International Arts Education Week! |
Sharpen your pencils for
#ShareOurHeritage!
We invite all students of ASPnet to participate in the
#ShareOurHeritage Artwork Exhibition!
To encourage creativity, UNESCO is inviting students between ages 6 and 12 to draw a
UNESCO World Heritage site that matters to them, from now until 17 May 2020. This could be a World Heritage site in their own community, a memory from a recent family vacation, or a place they saw in a book, movie or TV show.
Watch the
call for artworks by an Indian student and find out how to participate
here.
UNESCO will be exhibiting a selection of these drawings, chosen for their artistry, originality and diversity, on the UNESCO website.
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What is UNESCO doing?
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Learning and teaching about UNESCO World Heritage within ASPnet schools
Check out the
learning platform "Transboundary European World Heritage – a topic for UNESCO associated schools". This platform is the result of an intercultural project on World Heritage by and for ASPnet schools in Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark and Germany together with the
Institute Heritage Studies an der Internationalen Akademie Berlin.
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Learn about 3 transboundary European World Heritage sites
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Get inspired by videos of ASPnet students exploring those World Heritage sites
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Learn about UNESCO and World Heritage and test your knowledge in a
Quiz
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For Teachers: access to
teaching and learning resources on UNESCO, World Heritage; conventions, publications and tool-kits
Messages of Solidarity
Message by Klaus Schilling, National Coordinator of ASPnet Germany
Learning Never Stops – and our creativity helps us in this most stressful and harmful time of the global crisis due to Covid-19.
Watch the
video message
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 Katja Anger has worked for over ten years in Education, at UNESCO and OECD headquarters, as well as for NGOs and government agencies in Haiti, Rwanda and Mali.
She is a passionate advocate of the transformative power of education towards more just, peaceful, inclusive and sustainable societies.
As part of the ASPnet team, she leads the two global initiatives on global citizenship and climate change education. Video Message |
 Message by Claire-Hélia Huzar, by a student at Collège Michel Chasles – Epernon, ASPnet School, France
Poster, by a student of School No 62, ASPnet School, Armenia
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