Introduction

Pakistani girls from the age of 8 till 19 have painted their scarves with messages of peace. They have different ideas and express themselves in their own unique ways. For example 10 year old Aleema has painted a Muslim girl with a Dodo bird, because she says that she painted a girl who loves animals and she is holding a Dodo bird because she wants them back, this world will be beautiful if we are kind to animals. 12 year old Sara has painted a girl with a scarf who loves trees and wants to take care of the environment. 13 year old Mariam have painted a girl and a boy because she wants people to love their daughters as much as sons . Similarly each girl has expressed herself in her own unique way.


Children in Pakistan have a very difficult life, many don’t even go to school and many start work at a very young age. But it is the 'girl child' who is not as fortunate as her brothers. Many families dont even want daughters as they prefer sons. There are many aware, educated parents who cherish their daughters and that can be seen in the confidant manner they express themselves. There are lucky girls who go to good schools where they get an opportunity to express themselves through painting but for majority of children art is not taught in schools. Funkor works with children from different segments of society, without any discrimination, therefore this exhibition presents the work of girls from different strata of society. There are girls who have had the opportunity of expressing themselves through painting and there are those who are doing it for the first time for this exhibition. There are also girls who can barely see, they have tried painting too. Komal, Munaza and Fizza, students of Almaktoom Center for Visually Impaired children, painted their scarves in " Amai Park" a play area I have developed specially for blind children. These students have varying degrees of blindness, yet hope in abundance.

There are girls who do wear scarves and those who don’t. All trying to express through their paintings that they are not much different from any other girl from any part of the world. They also love dolls, flowers, butterflies, trees and animals and they also want be loved as much as their brothers and they also want to see this world to be a better place for all. For this exhibition we have chosen black and white scarves although in Pakistan girls wear different kinds of scarves, black, white and those with colours, some dont wear scarves at all. The reason I have chosen black scarves is because the images painted by these girls shine like 'Light in Darkness'.

Fauzia Minallah
Founder/ Director
Funkor Childart Center

'Amai Park', Almaktoom Center for the Visually Impaired Children.




Sunday School at the Nam Seoul Prespyterian Church of Pakistan. Shanty Town G 7



Funkor Childart Center




Village Ratwaal, Attock



Pehli Kiran School, Golra

Scarves of Peace video

Peace scarves

Sadia 7 years, " I painted a doll, a house and a bird. I love playing with dolls but dont have one. The bird is a bird like Amai, who spreads love."

Marium Sher Ali. 13. "I have painted a boy and a girl because I want people to love their daughters as much as their sons".


Saeeda Bibi. 15. "I have painted a house. It is my house and there is a TV inside the house. I dont have a TV so I would love to have one. I have painted a singing girl in the TV".


Shanze 8 years. " I have painted my face". ( Shanze has very little vision only from a distance of 2-3 inches"


Tania 8 years. " I love rainbow and stars so I painted them on my scarf."


Bushra. 12 years " I painted a Barbie doll".


Mina 8 years. " I painted myself with a big flower"


Anum. 15 years. " The earth is happy because there is no violence"


Amna. 7 years. "I have painted three flower pots"


Anas. 8 years. "I have painted a bicycle and a heart because I love bicycles". ( Anas is a visually impaired child who can see only from a distance of 2 - 3 inches)


Aqsa 9 years. " I have painted a happy sun and I have written ' baarish ka mausam which means it is raining. I love the sun and rain both are very important for human beings".


Bushra. 4 years. " Happy apple and smiley faces"


Fatima, 16 years. " Peace"


Fatima. 16 years. " I have painted transition from hatred ( black and red colours) to peace ( Yellow and gold)"


Shan. 14 years. I have painted beautiful flowers and trees"


Javeria . 13 years. I have painted a park"


Khadija.10 years. ' I have painted mountains river and sunrise"


Komal 14. " I have written ' We want Peace' in Braille." ( Komal is a student of Almaktoom center for the Visually Impaired)


Salma. 10 years. " I have painted a colourful parrot."


Shahida 9 years. " I have painted 2 birds and a car".


Shakila 16 years. " I have painted a beautiful scene".


Jacinth, 13 years. " I have painted mountains that look like christmas trees, and also the 'cross' and ' crescent'for harmony between Muslims and Christians.

Adeela, 18 years. My painting is about religious tolerance between Muslims and Christians"


Saeed Bibi. 15 years. "I have painted a garden with pretty happy flowers. Girls take care of this garden and keep the plants happy and healthy". (Saeeda's father is a gardner).


Sidra 15 years. " I have painted my house and a car and a beautiful environment around it". Sidra's parents live in Islamabad but dont own a house or a car.



Anila. 14 years. " I just wanted to paint a beautiful world with a waterfall, fish swimming in the river, mountains and trees".

Komal : 14 years " I painted a heart and the white lines represent 'white cane'. I want people to love those who use white canes ( blind people). I have written in Braille my name Komal and " I love painting"

Munaza: 11 years, "I painted two eyes and in Braille I have written my name in Urdu and English and " I can see with my hands"

Fizza : 13 years. " I painted my face and I am smiling"

Sana Bibi 11 years, "I painted a doll because I dont have one".

Aliyeh Khaleeli 19
I drew a butterfly to symbolize change and metamorphosis, because I believe we all have the ability to change our opinions. Just because I wear a scarf I’m not a terrorist, an extremist and the white in the body symbolizes peace, while the green outline symbolizes the Muslim colour.
The colour in the butterfly represents people of all races and we shouldn’t be discriminated against because of the colour of our skin or the attire we choose to near. The reason I chose the famous quote " Human heart is large enough to hold all of mankind", is because I believe it is apt and the world today needs to realize that the human heart is indeed large enough to contain all of mankind.

Aleema , 10 years
I have painted a girl with a scarf who is holding a Dodo bird. She loves animals and wants the Dodo birds back.

Sarah Khan 12 years
I have painted a Muslim girl. She loves trees and she wants the environment to be clean.

Maryam Sher Ali 13 years.
I have painted myself with flowers and butterflies.

Marziyeh Khaleeli 19
The thoughts expressed in my painting are very close to my heart, because I wear a Hijab. The fire on both corners represents hatred and bloodshed, and the tears are symbolic of the pain people have to endure due to preconceived notions, prejudices and being labelled. The dots of colour represent the wish of each person to be given a chance to be known for who they are the symbol of peace in the middle, is the hope that love and harmony will overcome all the pain and prejudice.