A painting of the Malagasy painter, Brigitte Rabarijaona, representing the 53 member countries of the African Union (AU), including the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), was withdrawn on Thursday from an exhibition in Paris at the request of Morocco.
The exhibition presented to the public within the framework of one organized by UNESCO on female creativeness, the painting exhorts peace in Africa, while wishing that “no African kills any other African any more”.
“This table is an anthem for peace in Africa. It represents all AU countries with a message of peace translated in several African and International languages. I am surprised by the injunction made to withdraw it,” said the Malagasy painter.
Other paintings by Mrs Rabarijaona exhort African renaissance, denounce tribalis m and call on African women to ensure the leadership of peace and national recon c iliation processes.
“I dedicate this exhibition to President Nelson Mandela and to Aimé Césaire. It paints peace on the continent by making the role of women feature prominently. I do not understand very well the pressures that are being exerted to get the withdrawal of this painting for peace”, the Malagasy painter said.
Several events, including a round table on gender equality, an exhibition and fi lm projections are planned until 25 March at the Paris-based UNESCO headquarters . Panapress.
