Mural Project in PAKISTAN

With the support of the Pakistan Japan Cultural Association (Sindh), which is engaged in conveying Japanese culture in Pakistan, and as one of the projects commemorating the 70th anniversary of Japan-Pakistan diplomatic relations, we will create a mural at the National Institute of Child Health in Karachi.
Through three types of project activities

• 1. mural creation
• 2. art workshops
• 3. relay flag creation

we will create art together with the children of Pakistan, giving them opportunities to foster hope and live cheerfully.

The National Institute of Child Health is a large children’s hospital with 553 beds, managed by the Sindh province authorities, where children can receive medical treatment free of charge.
It is said that in Pakistan, there is a low school enrollment rate of children who in Japan would be of an age to receive compulsory education.
Many of these children not receiving a school education are working as laborers, and poverty is also preventing them from attending school.
In view of this current situation in Pakistan, we would like to create this mural together with the local children as a way to give them great hope for the future.

Pakistan – Overview

Pakistan is an Islamic republic located where China, South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East intersect and is approximately twice the land size of Japan (796,000 square kms).
While over 95% of its 200 million-plus population is Muslim, there is co-existence with Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, and indigenous religions.
It is also a very diverse nation with Punjabis making up the largest ethnic group, accounting for 45% of the total population, followed by Sindhis, Pashtuns, Saraikis, and Baloch.
The literacy rate among Pakistanis aged over 15 was approximately 59% in 2017, according to UNESCO sources, well below the global average literacy rate of 86% that same year.
Looking at a breakdown, the men’s literacy rate is about 71% and the women’s literacy rate is 46%, clearly showing a gender gap.

Mural Theme
「Karachi’s Green Sea Turtle」

This time, the mural will be created in a children’s hospital and the hospital proposed that the theme be “Safety, Protection, and Hope”.
In Pakistan, children not receiving an education become workers and many of them are in poor health. Moreover, the devastating floods that hit the country in September 2022 claimed the lives of 528 children. I felt that the children, who have their future ahead of them, need a society that can keep them safe and protected, as well as to be able to see the bright hope that awaits them.
So for as the symbol for the theme, I chose the green sea turtle. Karachi began as a fishing town and then developed into a trading center for the region of the Arabian Sea.
Even now, green sea turtles are still present and many citizens’ groups are working hard to protect them.
Sea turtles are a symbol of longevity and are thought to bring good luck and peace. However, spawning is a life-threatening process for them and many difficulties have to be overcome before the eggs can hatch and the baby turtles grow. In the same way, early childhood is important for humans, with a lot of support needed.
For this mural, I have depicted a large green sea turtle and, underneath, eggs representing the children of the future, surrounded by colorful flowers and supported by people.
It creates an image that these children of the future will grow up, fulfill their dreams, and bring happiness to us all.
On the back of the turtle is a cricketer, admired by the children of Pakistan. My hope is that this will be a picture that supports children’s dreams.

Pakistan Japan Cultural Association [Sindh]

The Pakistan Japan Cultural Association (Sindh), a registered organization established in 2002, is engaged in various activities. This has included inviting ceramic art experts from Japan and, under co-sponsorship with the Sindh local authorities, holding workshops, exhibitions, and sales of traditional handicrafts in order to preserve those crafts and ensure the skills are passed on to the next generation.
They also held a Solidarity Walk on March 20, 2011 that many Karachi citizens participated and was one of the earliest in the world held to support the victims of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
In November 2008, with the support of the Japan Foundation, the association held the International Symposium on Photojournalism, making it the world’s first regional gathering for photojournalists, not only from Pakistan, but also from SAARC countries and from the three major newspapers in Japan (The Asahi Shimbun, The Yomiuri Shimbun, and The Mainichi).
There are currently around 200 members in the association.