JEDDAH, 31 July 2004 — With the participation of 18 renowned Saudi artists and 40 disabled children, the first street art exhibition was opened at Al-Nawras roundabout on Wednesday night. Under the slogan “Everyone can be an artist” the Women’s Committee at the Disabled Children’s Society has invited children with special needs to demonstrate their creative skills in an educational atmosphere with the help of famous artists.
“What the disabled need the most is not sympathy, but a little encouragement, to show them that they too can live a dignified and normal life. This is precisely what the Women’s Committee at the Disabled Children’s Society has been striving for — helping persons with disabilities to help themselves,” said Princess Latifa Bint Thunian Bin Mohammed Al-Saud, chairperson of the Women’s Committee.
She noted that the open art exhibition held for the first time outdoor in Corniche was aimed at providing an opportunity to the children with special needs to learn from eminent artists how to paint and draw and much more. “This project offers children a unique opportunity to learn the skills of art from great artists,” she said.
Famous Saudi artist Abdullah Nawawi, one of the many who took part in the exhibition said: “I am very happy and proud to be with these children and to assist them in painting and drawing and bringing a smile to their faces.” The weeklong exhibition exposes children to a wide-range of activities where they learn a lot and demonstrate their abilities.
