CARTOONING FOR PEACE

Abstract

Europe is facing an unprecedented migration crisis. At a time when thousands are fleeing from the current tragic conflicts in the Middle East, hoping to find refuge in the European Union, the bitter reality is that Europe is becoming a besieged fortress. This is reflected in the rise of both the Eurosceptics and of the far right in a growing number of European countries. Cartooning for Peace defends these fundamental freedoms and democracy. It does so through exerting the right to freedom of expression as defined in article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. The organization was set up following the bloody reactions to the publication of the Mohamed cartoons in the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten on Sep 30, 2005.

Europe is facing an unprecedented migration crisis. At a time when thousands are fleeing from the current tragic conflicts in the Middle East, hoping to find refuge in the European Union, the bitter reality is that Europe is becoming a besieged fortress. This is reflected in the rise of both the Eurosceptics and of the far right in a growing number of European countries.

What has become of the founding values of Europe - humanism, solidarity, tolerance and the search for peace? How can we forget human rights and remain passive when faced with the horrors endured by these families who are running from possible death? It would be an unforgivable mistake to think that Europe is powerless and that nothing can be done except to turn in on ourselves. The founding values of Europe require us to welcome these men, women and children.

Cartooning for Peace defends these fundamental freedoms and democracy. It does so through exerting the right to freedom of expression as defined in article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." The organisation was set up following the bloody reactions to the publication of the Mohamed cartoons in the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005. In its founding meeting Kofi Annan and the editorial cartoonist Plantu from the French newspaper Le Monde, brought together twelve international cartoonists on 16 October 2006 for a seminar on "Unlearning Intolerance".

We provide visibility and support for cartoonists who are unable to work freely or whose freedom is threatened and use the educational value of press cartoons to denounce intolerance. Cartooning for Peace is committed to respecting the pluralism of cultures and opinions. We are mindful to show the diversity of cartoonists' perspectives on a given subject and fight against prejudice and intellectual conformism. We denounce the excesses of extremism, mock its false certainties, counteract odium and strive to dismount impostures. Respectful in disrespect, we do not seek to humiliate beliefs and opinions. We circumvent interdicts with humour. We allow cartoonists to interact with each other and to confront their different opinions.

The seven cartoons that follow show how our cartoonists use their pencils and deploy their talent to denounce the human rights violations in relation to the current migration crisis in Europe.

Cartooning for Peace

ARES | Cuba

Aristides Hernandez Guerrero (Ares) was born in Havana, Cuba in 1963. He graduated in medicine and is specialised in psychiatry. He is a self-taught caricaturist, painter and illustrator and has published 20 books, illustrated more than 80 and received over 150 international awards, including the Grand Prix World Press Cartoon and the first prize in the United Nations/Ranan Lurie political cartoon awards. Ares works in Havana as a freelance artist. Further examples of his work can be found at www.areshumour.com.

BOLIGAN | Cuba

Boligan was born in Havana, Cuba in 1965. Since 1992 he has lived and worked in Mexico. His drawings regularly appear in El Universal, El Chamuco, Foreign Affairs Latin America as well as various international media. He has won 161 international awards and citations and twice been awarded the National Journalism Award of Mexico. He founded the agency CartonClub - El Club de la Caricatura Latina and is a member of various cartooning associations, including Cartooning for Peace, Cagle Cartoons and the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba. Further examples of his work can be found at www.boligan.com.

BONIL | Ecuador

Bonil is an Ecuadorian caricaturist born in 1964. He is regularly published in El Universo, Ecuador's largest newspaper. He is the recipient of various international awards, most recently the IAPA Grand Prize for Freedom of the Press (2015). He has been indicted on four occasions by the government of Rafael Correa, because of his drawings. He is a member of the Cartooning for Peace and CartonClub - El Club de la Caricatura Latina. Further examples of his work can be found at http://humorbonil.blogspot.com.br/.

BRANDAN | South Africa

Brandan Reynolds is South Africa's most prolific editorial cartoonist. He graduated with a diploma in Graphic Design from the Ruth Prowse School of Art in Woodstock, Cape Town in 1991. He has been drawing the daily editorial cartoon for the South African newspaper Business Day since 2003 and he also contributes to the Weekend Argus as well Rapport, the Afrikaans-language Sunday newspaper. He was awarded South Africa's Standard Bank Sikuvile Journalism Award for Editorial Cartooning in 2013, was recently made a member of Cartooning For Peace and is also a member of CartoonMovement. Further examples of his work can be found at https://brandanreynolds.com.

GLEZ | Burkina Faso

Damien Glez was born in 1967. Following the end of the state of emergency in Burkina Faso in 1991 and the "springtime" for the country's press, Glez began his career as a cartoonist for the satirical weekly Le Journal du Jeudi, where he is now the director. He also draws for publications on three continents. Cartoonist-columnist, writer and lecturer at the University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, he is also the author of the comic strip the Divine Comedy. As well as Le Journal du Jeudi, Glez's cartoons are regularly published in Slate Afrique (France), the non profit magazine Vita (Italy), Afronline (Italy), Chorus (France), World Policy Journal (U.S.), Courrier International (France) and Jeune Afrique (France-Africa). He is a member of Cartooning For Peace. Further examples of his work can be found at http://www.glez.org.

PAYAM | Iran

The Iranian cartoonist and illustrator Payam Boromand was born in 1984. He graduated from Azad University of Art, Faculty of Arts in 2007. He has been working as a cartoonist in Iranian reformist newspapers and weekly magazines. He is currently working at the Peivast magazine. His drawings have also been published in many international newspapers and magazines incluidng Le Monde, Offiziere, Pflichtlektüre and 360 Magazine. He regularly participates in national and international exhibitions and is member of various international journalism and arts associations, including Cartooning For Peace, Cartoon Movement and Cagle.com.

ZLATKOVSKY | Russia

Mikhail Zlatkovsky was born in 1944 and graduated from Moscow Nuclear Physics University. After 5 years he became a free-lance artist. He has won 275 international prizes and was awarded the Chevalier (Knight) of the Légion d'honneur by France. Further examples of his work can be found at www.zlatkovsky.ru.