The international peace organization HWPL, through its youth group IPYG, carried out the ‘Public Peace Art Painting Project’ in Dili, the capital of Timor Leste, starting in July 2023. This project was designed to promote local tourism and social integration in Timor Leste by HWPL. It was successfully completed with the support of the government, youth groups, local businesses, and the voluntary participation of local art organizations and students.
The first mural painting project took place from July to September 2023 at the Xanana Sport Center. Government officials, including the Deputy Prime Minister of Timor Leste, the Minister of Youth, Sports, Arts, and Culture, the Minister of Education, and the Minister of Higher Education, participated by providing public spaces for the murals. Local art organizations such as Arte Moris and Vinod Patel, along with local businesses, the Timor Leste NGO Forum (FONGTIL), the Timor Leste Youth Council (CNJTL), students from the National University of Timor Leste (UNTL), and Dili University (UNDIL), were among the more than 40 volunteers who worked to bring peace and hope to the spaces in Dili.
The theme of the first mural was “Love myself, Love My Family, Love My Country, Love Peace, and Love HWPL.” Through this, HWPL aimed to heal the citizens of Timor Leste with love and peace and to unite the local community.
The second mural painting project took place in February and March 2024 in Kakaulidun. About 30 participants, including youth and artists from Kakaulidun village and university student volunteers, joined in painting the mural. In this second project, HWPL collaborated with News-VIP TV, a media company in Timor Leste that had signed an MOU with HWPL. The theme was “Peace Media,” depicting Dili transforming into a city of peace through the collaborative efforts of HWPL and media organizations.
This ‘Public Peace Art Painting Project’ in Timor Leste was planned and carried out by HWPL, inspired by the Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan, South Korea.
Gamcheon Culture Village is an area filled with art and culture, and it is now considered one of Busan’s representative landmarks. Once a shantytown, this village was redeveloped in 2009 into a beautiful mural village through a community-led initiative aimed at promoting the tourism industry through art and culture.
Through the mural project, Gamcheon Culture Village was transformed into a popular tourist destination, attracting many domestic and international visitors and revitalizing the local economy. Here, local residents and artists collaborate to create and share artworks, fostering community development and cultural integration. These activities play a role in strengthening social cohesion through citizen participation and interaction.
Through HWPL’s proposal to beautify Dili, Timor Leste as a “City of Peace” and the cooperation of the local community, the previously dull city walls have been transformed into vibrant art spaces that reflect Timor Leste’s culture. This project has strengthened the cohesion among members of the Dili community and laid the foundation for promoting local tourism.
HWPL will continue to pursue the realization of peace in Timor Leste through various activities, including not only peace murals but also MOU agreements, peace walks, and peace education.
