For well over a year, two local organizations collected art from children across the globe with plans to display the work during Atlanta’s Nobel summit. The theme for the exhibit was simple: “My Dream of Peace.”
But that dream was nearly lost when the event fell apart earlier this year over disputes between its lead organizer, Mohammad Bhuiyan, and several of the city's most prominent leaders, including Mayor Kasim Reed. As a result of the discord, which involved accusations of mismanagement and racism, the Rome-based organization that oversees the annual Nobel meetings moved the summit to Barcelona.
With roughly 2,500 of pieces of artwork on the line, the nonprofits — International Paint Pals and Friendship Force International — arranged to have their exhibit moved to Barcelona, as well. This week, as several Nobel laureates gather in Spain for the peace summit, Paint Pals and Friendship Force will unveil a collection of youth artwork curated from more than 90 countries.
“What we’re trying to do with the exhibit is follow through on the promises we made to all these kids around the world,” said Linden Longino, a retired banker who heads Paint Pals.
To learn more about why Atlanta lost the summit and Longino's efforts, visit myAJC.com.
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