"Achieving peace requires a deep desire to understand, respect and honor others," said Kyler B. Watson,13, of Stuttgart, Ark., one of the contest's 2005-2006 merit award winners.
The 2005-2006 grand prize winner was Cleverson da Silva Rosa, a 13-year-old from Parana, Brazil, who, along with two family members and the sponsoring Lions club president, traveled to New York for Lions Day with the United Nations. The annual event gives Lions the opportunity to meet with ambassadors at U.N. Headquarters. More than 700 Lions attended this year.
Previous grand prize winners have come from all over the world, many from areas where children do not know peace.
"The Peace Poster Contest represents a unique way for our members to provide an outlet for these future leaders to express their visions of peace," said Lions Clubs International President Ashok Mehta.
Lions clubs sponsor the contest in schools and organized youth programs. It provides an outlet for children and adults to discuss the meaning of world peace while artistically demonstrating ideas for reaching this goal. Now in its 18th year, the contest has been held in more than 75 countries.
"I think it is important that young people have a chance to really think about world peace," said 13-year-old Wade Angeli of Fairfax, Va., another merit winner.
