The Freeport News: The Lions' Club of Freeport is presently sponsoring a Peace Poster Contest in Grand Bahama as part of their wider organizations call for world peace.

Lions Clubs International, the world's largest service club organization, is made up of 1.35 million men and women in 207 countries and geographical locations throughout the world and this organization has created the Peace Poster Contest to foster a spirit of peace and international understanding in young people worldwide.

Some seven local schools in the community namely "Bishop Michael Eldon School, Catholic High School, Lucaya International School, Mary Star of the Sea, Sister Mary Patricia School, St. Paul's College and Sunland Baptist Academy have accepted the challenge to participate in Lions International Peace Poster Contest sponsored by the Freeport Lions Club.

This art contest for kids encourages young people worldwide to express their visions of peace. For 25 years, more than four million children from nearly 100 countries have participated in the contest. It's an opportunity to encourage our young people in the local community to think about the importance of world peace, tolerance and international understanding, and to pass it on. They are encouraged to share their unique visions with the world, through pictures.

The theme of the 2012-13 Peace Poster Contest is "Imagine Peace." Students, ages 11, 12 or 13 on November 15, are eligible to participate.

Each year's art contest for kids consists of an original theme incorporating peace. Participants use a variety of mediums, including charcoal, crayon, pencil and paint, to express the theme. The works created are unique and express the young artists' life experiences and culture.

Twenty-four international finalists are selected each year, representing the work of more than 350,000 young participants worldwide. Posters are shared globally via the Internet, the media and exhibits around the world.

Each poster is judged on originality, artistic merit and expression of the theme.

The posters will be advanced through several judging levels: local, district, multiple district and international. At the international level, judges from the art, peace, youth, education and media communities select one grand prize winner and 23 merit award winners.

International winners will be notified on or before February 1.

* One international grand prize winner will receive U.S.$5,000 and a trip to a special award ceremony with the sponsoring club president and two family members at Lions Day with the United Nations (subject to change).

* Each of the 23 merit award winners will receive a cash award of U.S.$500 and a certificate of achievement.

Past Peace Poster Contest District and Merit winner "Mr. Abel Abraham" came from the St. Paul's College who also placed 15th in the world over the period of 2008, 2009, and 2010.

Locally teachers, parents and schools are asked to encourage the youth to embrace the talents they have.

The grand prize winners have come from Brazil, Guadeloupe, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Martinique, Peru, Philippines, South Africa, Multiple District 300 Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the United States.

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