GOZO.- In celebration of the United Nations’ World Interfaith Harmony Week (first week of February 2016), and against a backdrop of the recent extremists’ attacks in the West and conflict in the Middle East, the little island of Gozo in the heart of the Mediterranean is making a strong stand for peace through art.

The island of Gozo now has 21 more donkeys on it: Mediterranean Peace Donkeys. As the first exhibition in 2016 at the renowned Ta’ Pinu National Shrine, a revered place of pilgrimage for centuries, The Mediterranean Peace Donkey project is a peacebuilding exhibition of 21 life-sized fiberglass “Maltese” donkeys painted by premier Gozitan, Maltese, Egyptian and Western artists symbolizing the need for peace and compassion between the creeds and cultures of Middle East and West, and more specifically throughout the Mediterranean Basin (i.e. a donkey for each of the 21 Mediterranean nations).

This exhibition takes place when there has never been a more important time for the peoples of the Mediterranean countries to unite and stand together for peace in the region and globally. This unique art exhibition is a crucial example that people everywhere can participate and work together towards harmony, understanding and peace, with the island of Gozo, both historically and contemporarily, representing an intercultural bridge between the East and West.

Organized by CARAVAN, an international peacebuilding arts NGO, The Mediterranean Peace Donkey exhibition uses the symbol of the renowned and endangered Maltese donkey to focus global attention on four critical needs:

-Interreligious Harmony: The donkey represents “peace and compassion” in Christianity, Islam and Judaism, and in the cultures of the Middle East and West.

-East-West Relations: The Maltese donkey is an historic “East-West symbol,” as four Maltese donkeys were sent to General George Washington in 1786, prior to becoming the President of the United States of America.

-Humanitarian Assistance for Migrants/Refugees in the Mediterranean: As a means of journeying, the donkey also symbolizes the thousands of migrants and refugees passing through the Mediterranean region looking for a better life.

The forms for the life-size fiberglass donkeys was sculpted by the premier Egyptian artist Dr. Reda Abdel Rahman, which were then fabricated in Malta. The Mediterranean Peace Donkey exhibition in Gozo at the Ta’ Pinu National Shrine, follows in the footsteps of an international approach to public art that has featured painted animals.

For the Mediterranean Peace Donkey initiative, CARAVAN is partnering with The Donkey Sanctuary, the global leader in the field of donkey welfare who is also a primary sponsor, together with United Religions Initiative (URI) and APS Bank. The exhibition is curated by Rev. Paul-Gordon Chandler, the President of CARAVAN.
-Donkey Welfare in Conflict Zones of the Middle East: As a “beast of burden” the donkey is a humanitarian symbol, thereby raising awareness about the difficult conditions facing working donkeys in the Middle East region.