13 award winning posters by children aged 11-13 from across the UK will be unveiled by the Vice Dean of Canterbury, Canon Roger Symon, in the South Quire aisle of Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday, 27th March 2002 at 3.00pm. About a dozen representatives from the Lions organisation in Kent will also be present. You are welcome to take photographs of the pictures or to attend the unveiling ceremony.

Each year a different theme is chosen but always one that is primarily linked with the concept of ‘PEACE’. This year’s theme is ‘United in Peace’.

The International competition was started in 1988 and is now promoted by Lions Clubs in over 70 countries. It is estimated that, to date, more than two million young people have expressed their feelings about the importance of world peace through the medium of this competition.

In 2000 the Lions in the United Kingdom were delighted to have been allowed to display the winning entries sponsored by the thirteen Lions Districts in the United Kingdom and Ireland (Multiple District 105) in Canterbury Cathedral. They are grateful to the Dean & Chapter for allowing us to return with the new display this year.

The prizes are not financially valuable. The opportunities for the young entrants to compete with many others in expressing his or her feelings about world peace are much more important. The United Kingdom and Ireland winner is presented with a prize at the House of Commons at a small but prestigious ceremony. The overall International winner is given the opportunity to attend Lions Day at the United Nations to receive his or her award. Some recent past winners have come from Guadeloupe, Indonesia, Italy, Philippines, Peru, Lebanon, some of whom have never seen real peace.

The overall winner of the thirteen United Kingdom winners in this display is 12 year old Victoria Dowouni-Hammond from Ashburton Community School, Croydon.

For further information, please contact Cliff Critchett, a Past District Governor, on 01304 373 533 (+44 1304 373 533).