Palestinian Children's Drawings Transcend War and Division, Finding Solidarity in Korea

Tasameh Ramadan, director of the Palestinian civil society group 'Siz,' sees striking similarities between the situations in Palestine and Korea, particularly in their shared experiences of war and division. During a visit to Seoul for an international children's peace drawing exhibition, Ramadan highlighted how both nations endure the pain of separation, drawing parallels between Korean families divided by the border and Palestinian families split by the Israeli separation barrier and checkpoints.

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When I went to other countries, I felt a much stronger sense of solidarity when I came to the Korean Peninsula.

Ramadan described the harsh realities faced by Palestinians, where families are separated by walls, with mothers and daughters finding ways to touch each other through small openings. This separation, he noted, mirrors the division of the Korean Peninsula, with its Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), barbed wire, and severed family ties. While the causes and forms of conflict differ, the inability to meet loved ones and the constant state of tension and hostility are common threads.

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Like Korean separated families, it is common in Palestine for families to be separated by walls and checkpoints.

The pervasive conflict deeply impacts the childhoods of Palestinian children. They grow up navigating Israeli checkpoints, enduring gunfire, and experiencing the separation from family members. Ramadan explained that 'Siz' teaches youth survival skills, including first aid and response to explosions, as a necessity in a region where violence can erupt unexpectedly and infrastructure can be destroyed. He described the most challenging aspect of Palestinian childhood as a life robbed of its innocence, recalling his own shock upon encountering a border-less journey between cities during his first trip abroad.

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Neighbors have mothers and daughters separated by a wall. They try to touch each other with their fingers through gaps or small holes in the wall.

The 'Drawing Hope' exhibition, featuring artwork by children from conflict zones, serves as a powerful outlet for these young artists. Ramadan explained that the process of creating art based on the theme of 'hope' allows children to express their suppressed emotions and find validation. The project fosters a sense of global connection, with children asking if people in other countries know them and feeling empowered by the realization that they are not alone. He emphasized that these drawings, more than protests, can directly appeal to people's hearts, bridging divides and fostering empathy. The exhibition aims to remind viewers of shared humanity and inspire new ways of imagining coexistence in a divided world.

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Palestinian people must have the ability to administer first aid to a friend who has been shot without panicking when walking down the street and suddenly encountering Israeli gunfire.