Minab children’s paintings put wartime memories on display at UN Geneva
An exhibition of paintings by children from Minab opened on September 15, at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, bringing the colorful visions of young Iranian artists to an international audience following the deadly attack on their school, according to Iran’s Permanent Mission in Geneva.
Titled ‘Children of Minab Still Draw the Sun’, the weeklong exhibition features works by pupils of Shajareh Tayebeh Primary School in Minab, Hormuzgan Province. Some paintings were recovered from the rubble of the school after the February 28, US-Israeli strike, IRNA reported.
The exhibition portrays the experiences of children whose ordinary school days were abruptly disrupted by war. More than 168 pupils, teachers and school staff and their loved ones were killed or affected in the attack, according to a later UN account.
The display was organized in connection with the International Day to Protect Education from Attack, observed annually on September 9. The UN established the day to promote the protection of schools, students and teachers and uphold children’s right to education during armed conflict.
The paintings offer an unvarnished glimpse into how children see their world, with bright colors and simple forms carrying memories of school, friendship and dreams.
“Children still draw the sun,” the exhibition title declares, turning a childlike image into a testament to resilience.
The exhibition’s introduction describes a school as more than a building, calling it a place “where dreams are formed, friendships are forged, and the future takes its first steps.”
By bringing the Minab children’s artwork to the UN, the exhibition places their personal memories within a wider international conversation about protecting education and preserving childhood amid conflict.