“The impact of violence and bullying on mental health” was the topic of the exhibition of paintings created by the youth group of Kukës, who through this event aimed to spread messages to their peers and the community of the town about the consequences of these phenomena in the personal and social life of a human being.
During May, the young people worked intensively to draw paintings. They have invited other peers to join in this initiative to share together strong messages through art. Yllka, one of the participants, does not hesitate to express her concern about the fact that bullying has become part of the youth lifestyle:
“Bullying and violent language have become part of the youth lifestyle. They affect our spiritual, emotional, and social mood, making us without self-esteem, submissive and excluded. That is why it is very important for us as young people to promote positive values and try to raise awareness and inform us about the consequences that bullying and violence have in society. What better way to do this than through art.”
The exhibition was held in the center of the city and attracted the attention of the citizens, who encouraged and congratulated the young people for the initiative taken. This activity was organized as part of the project “Prevention and safe reintegration for children and mothers returned from conflict areas”, implemented by Terre des hommes Albania in partnership with the Counter Violent Extremism Coordination Center with funding from Global Community Engagement and Resilience (GCERF).