As many as 24 youths from various countries had been selected as finalists in an artwork contest held by Lion’s Club International in 2022. The global contest had the participants, all of whom are kids aged 11 to 13, design creative posters that projected their vision of world peace. 

One of the participants who came out as the winner of the Lion’s Club International Peace Poster Contest was Kalisha Athaya Mahira from Indonesia. The middle schooler from Bogor presented his vision of world peace through her artwork which was sponsored by Jakarta Monas Kalingga Lions Club. 

For her work, Kalisha managed to be the best one among 600,000 contestants hailing from all over the world. 

Kalisha’s profile

Kalisha is no newcomer to the world of drawing, painting, as she has been achieving rewards for her artistic work. In 2019, Kalisha also won the art contest entitled Family Art Competitions 2, which was held by the world's largest and oldest stationery manufacturer Faber-Castell.

Among 39,202 participants coming from 35 cities in Indonesia, Kalisha was in the best eight. For that reason, the elementary school-student Kalisha and all the winners were granted a trip to Hong Kong Disneyland by the organizer in the following months that year.

Whereas for Kalisha’s latest achievement winning Lion’s Club International Peace Poster, she received a cash prize of US$500, which has been granted to all of the merit winners.

World peace through young people's eyes

Peace might come as a mere notion for some people living in this world. However, there are surely those who keep seeing peace as something that should always be hoped for, no matter how hard the condition is. 

That view seemed to be held dearly in the heart of the kids promoting peace through their artwork in the Lion’s Club International Peace Poster contest. 

The 13-year-old Anja Rožen from Slovenia recognized peace as something important for living in this world. It became the basic idea of Rožen’s simple yet touching artwork, which earned the grand prize of the contest, depicting people holding on to each other for the world’s unity. 

"Peace is very important,” said Rožen, expressing her notion about peace itself. “Peace is also freedom from violence. When there is peace, nations and the whole planet can be stable and promote cultural growth." 

"I don't understand wars, how people can let them happen, or what leads people that far," she added.