Mauritius: Conveying meaningful IHL messages through vivid murals
When people talk about International Humanitarian Law (IHL), they often focus on countries affected by ongoing conflicts but for the Mauritius National IHL Committee, understanding the law of armed conflict is equally important for everyone, especially from a young age.
While Mauritius is a country at peace, raising awareness among the general public is a key priority for the Mauritius IHL Committee, a body created to oversee the promotion and implementation of the law in the country.
On August 19, 2024, the Mauritius IHL Committee hosted various activities to commemorate World Humanitarian Day. One of the highlights was a competition for secondary school students, where participants from different schools showcased their creativity through art. World Humanitarian Day is an international event dedicated to recognizing humanitarian personnel and honouring those who have lost their lives while working for humanitarian causes.
Secondary school students participated in a competition where they created murals to demonstrate their understanding of the law. Among the standout murals from the competition was “Save Humanity,” which conveys a powerful message about prioritizing humanity over differences. This mural encourages school-going children to take action to help humanity in emergencies and fosters an atmosphere where people can seek amicable solutions despite their differences.
Another mural depicts humanitarian workers who dedicate their time to providing essentials to those in need. In the artwork, two aid workers are shown giving bread to a family struggling to secure basic food for survival. This mural aims to promote the importance of helping others as a means of alleviating the suffering caused by humanitarian crises and other socio-economic conditions.
Through the project, the government of Mauritius and students demonstrated their dedication and sense of responsibility to the community, affirming the role of education in community development. The highly practical project also created a useful playground for students to develop their ability to learn and apply their creativity geared for a good cause in the future.
IHL is a set of rules that seeks, for humanitarian reasons, to limit the effects of armed conflict. It protects persons who are not, or are no longer, directly, or actively participating in hostilities, and imposes limits on the means and methods of warfare. IHL is also known as "the law of war" or "the law of armed conflict."
