Winners have been announced in a media competition for young people on the subject of “Building Peaceful Futures” run by the Columban Missionary Society in Britain and Ireland.
Young people 13-18 years were asked to produce an article or image that demonstrated an awareness and understanding of conflict in the world today. Also, to spotlight people, communities and organisations trying to make the world a better place for everyone by building peaceful futures. The competition attracted 172 entries.
In Britain, where 18 schools submitted entries, Cara Mashumba of St Mary’s in Bishop’s Stortford was awarded first prize for her image.
“My art piece is based on equality and peace for all people of different ethnicity and religion,” she said. Judge Ruth Gledhill, assistant editor of The Tablet, said it was “a really strong, well-constructed image that provokes thought and has immediate impact”.
Second was Jenessa Thomas of Loreto Grammar School in Altrincham, who based her image on a dove, a popular symbol of peace and hope.
Third was an image by Julia Szewczyk of St Augustine’s in West London, of a Ukrainian girl standing in a city destroyed by war. Alongside her is a sunflower, a symbol of peace and the national flower of Ukraine. In the foreground, people around the world are calling for peace.
Oaratwa Tebelelo of All Saints in Sheffield wrote the winning article, “Let’s demolish the wall”, described by Gledhill as, “an original and thought-provoking reflection that has the potential to inspire action for change in the reader”.
The runner up was Thea Smith of Loreto Grammar School in Altrincham. Third place was Ezekiel M’Imea of St Mary’s in Bishop’s Stortford, based on the peace-building ecological work of Kenyan Wangari Matthai.
In Ireland, the article winners were Katie Bonnes, St Louis Grammar School in Ballymena, Kalina Matuszewska, of Christ King Secondary School, Cork and Aaron O Neill of Scoil Mhuire Strokestown, County Roscommon.
Image winners were Gabriela García Velarde of Christ the King Secondary School, Douglas, County Cork, Maria Rosa Black of St Louis Grammar School in Ballymena and in joint third place Clíodhna McKeever of St Catherine’s College in Armagh and Jennifer Dineen of Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra in Rathmore, County Kerry.
Katie Bonnes said: “I feel that peace in Northern Ireland and throughout the wider world is a hugely attainable thing. My research for this piece has only furthered my belief that humanity will right the wrongs of its past.”
Kalina Matuszewska said: “I believe that building peaceful futures is something of great importance to everyone and I am happy to contribute to spreading this message.”
In Britain the entries were judged by media experts including Gledhill, Josephine Siedlecka editor of Independent Catholic News, Columbans Fr Kurt Zion Pala and Fr Pat Sayles and James Trewby, Columban education worker.
Aisling Griffin and Joan Sharples from Pax Christi provided expertise on the theme of peace.
“It was a privilege to judge such high-quality and insightful articles and images,” said Aisling Griffin. “They are inspiring, thought-provoking and hopeful calls to work to build peaceful futures.”
In Ireland, judges included Patsy McGarry of the Irish Times, Joe Murray of Afri, Columban Fr Pat Cunningham and William Scholes, assistant editor of the Irish News.
Scholes said: “In Ireland we are all too aware that peace is hard-won and that, even as we approach the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, it must be continually defended from those who still seek to cause hurt, fear and division.
“There are other vivid and tragic reminders in our world today – the war in Ukraine, the plight of desperate people seeking sanctuary across dangerous seas in small boats – of how fragile peace is. As the competition theme reminds us, the task of ‘building peaceful futures’ is constant and challenging.”
He said it was “heartening to see the students who entered the competition capture that vision in their thoughtful and imaginative articles and images”.
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