New Delhi, 9th October 2026: Children, diplomats, educators and public leaders came together on Thursday for an international initiative Colors for Peace, a not-for-profit organization, involved with children across 135 countries and headquartered in Italy. The campaign aims to bring children’s creativity into the global conversation on peace, coexistence, and mutual understanding. The programme saw participation from around 1500 students from schools across Delhi NCR, each invited to express their understanding of peace through drawings.

The initiative also extended beyond formal school networks, with children from street schools taking part, bringing together young voices from varied societal and educational backgrounds. 

The programme held at Amity International School, Pushp Vihar, New Delhi brought together H.E. Mehdi Jomaa, Former Prime Minister of Tunisia; H.E. Antonio Bartoli, Ambassador of Italy to India; Smt. Arti Mehra, Former Mayor of Delhi; Ms. Arunima Kukreja, Ambassador, Colors for Peace India and Founding Director, CP Kukreja Foundation for Design Excellence and Mr. Antonio Giannelli, Founder and President, Colors for Peace 

Speaking on the occasion, Arunima Kukreja, Ambassador, Colors for Peace India and Founding Director, CP Kukreja Foundation for Design Excellence, said: “Through this initiative, students will have the opportunity to share their values, ethos, perspectives and educational experiences, fostering greater understanding and appreciation of each other’s cultures.

Just as artworks from India are travelling to Italy this year, we look forward to bringing artworks from Italy to India next year, with a larger vision of eventually creating a platform in India that showcases artworks from children and artists across the world. Inspired by the spirit of the Colosseum and the Peace Park in Italy, we envision building a space in India that becomes a symbol of peace, creativity, unity and cultural dialogue”

H.E. the Ambassador of Italy to India said: “Peace is nurtured through education, dialogue and inclusion. By giving children a platform to express their hopes and emotions through art, we help build greater empathy and understanding. Initiatives like this keep the memory of the past alive while inspiring a more peaceful and inclusive future.”

Smt. Arti Mehra, Former Mayor of Delhi, said: “Today, what touched me most was seeing how children from modest backgrounds express themselves through colours. Colours have the power to give children a voice, inspire creativity and bring a sense of joy and belonging. Through initiatives like Colours of Peace, we can turn every child’s imagination into a message of hope, sharing and harmony. Every colour they create is a small but meaningful step towards a more peaceful future”

The event concluded with a visit to the Colors for Peace Art Gallery, where artworks created by participating children were displayed. Selected artworks will travel to Italy for proposed exhibitions in 2027, while participating Indian and Italian schools are proposed to be virtually twinned—building a lasting cultural exchange around peace, empathy and coexistence. The previous initiatives have been showcased at leading international platforms, including the G7, Expo Milan, Palazzo Vecchio and the Colosseum.