January 25, 2002

Global Art Project 2002: International Art Exchange Promotes World Peace

The week of April 23-30, 2002 marks the 5th biennial Global Art Project (GAP) exchange, a multicultural, multimedia event that has linked approximately 40,000 participants on six continents who choose to share their creative visions of a World at Peace. Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, with the direction of founder Katherine Josten, GAP provides a unique worldwide matching system enabling individuals and groups of diverse ages and backgrounds the opportunity to exchange art as a 'Gift of Global Friendship'. The exchange will result in thousands of messages of Peace and Friendship simultaneously encircling the Earth during the last week of April.

Artists on all seven continents will participate in this 2002 event. Over 80 Regional Coordinators are currently helping to organize Global Art Project events in their area of the world. The idea is as simple as it is profound to spread world peace and unity through art. Participants will exchange visions of global peace with other participants in dozens of countries as far-ranging as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, India, Burundi, Israel, China, Japan, Australia, Canada, Finland, Belgium, Peru, Venezuela, Indonesia, Malaysia and the USA. The Project will connect people of diverse cultural backgrounds, providing exposure to new ideas and a feeling of connection to the Whole. "The Global Art Project helps to heal on a personal, community and global level", says Josten.

Participating groups will include art councils, artist cooperatives, music and dance groups, churches, environmental and community groups, Big Sisters, Boy Scouts, hospitals, youth programs, and YMCAs. Hundreds of schools in locations around the world will participate and will involve thousands of students from kindergarten through graduate school.

In the words of one 10 year-old participant, "I drew a picture of the Earth, and then a bunch of different types of people short, tall, black, white holding hands around the world. Holding hands is a sign of peace. People cant fight if they're holding hands."

The Global Art Project is a non-profit, grass-roots organization. Organizers invite your donations and sponsorships to support the Project. For additional information about the Global Art Project and how you or your organization can participate and help, visit www.global-art.org or send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Global Art Project, PO Box 40445, Tucson, AZ 85717, USA. Tel: (520) 628-8353. Email: . All donations are fully tax- deductible.

The Global Art Project 2002 Registration Deadline is February 28, 2002 (Postmark).