Drawing Hope is a trans-local peace project that delivers messages of hope through children’s artwork, fostering intergenerational dialogue.
Drawing Hope
in Cape Town
June 1-30 2025
Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation
Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation
The exhibition featured moving self-portraits and messages of hope from children living in divided or post-conflict societies—including the Korean Peninsula, South Africa, Los Angeles, and Belfast. Through art, these young peacebuilders shared their visions of friendship, understanding, and a world free from fear, prejudice, and inherited trauma.
Visitors were invited to see the world through the eyes of children whose drawings spoke volumes about resilience, courage, and the yearning for unity across borders and barriers. The evening was filled with reflection and inspiration, as guests explored how the simple act of drawing can become a bold act of hope and healing.
This global collaboration reminded us that peace begins with empathy—and that the youngest among us often carry the clearest vision for the future. We are honoured to have hosted this transformative exhibition and to continue its commitment to amplifying the voices of those working to build bridges where others have built walls.
Together, we drew hope.
Ubuntu
and Okedongmu
“My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.”
-Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu
Okedongmu means “standing shoulder to shoulder as friends.” The division of the Korean Peninsula has made such friendship nearly impossible. Thier drawing exchange project between North and South Korean children aims to rehumanize and reconnect young people across closed borders.
This effort echoes the spirit of Ubuntu—the belief that our humanity is shared. Just as in South Africa, healing begins when we see each other not as enemies, but as part of the same future.
Children’s drawings remind us of a simple truth: they just want to play together. May their messages inspire us to create a world where all children can thrive.