JAMAICA Youth Advocacy Network (JYAN), through its #YouthAgainstViolence Project, officially unveiled its Peace of Art mural at Kingston High School recently, marking another milestone in its mission to foster safer schools and empower young people through creativity, dialogue, and community action.

The initiative, supported by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), transformed an ordinary school wall into a vibrant symbol of peace, resilience and excellence.

Designed and painted by Kingston High students under the guidance of mural artist Analiese Virtue, the mural reflects the students’ vision of what a peaceful, thriving school community should look like.

The unveiling ceremony brought together key stakeholders and partners, including High Commissioner of Canada to Jamaica Mark Berman; Shiyan Daley Boothe, retail services supervisor of BH Paints; Akeem Bender, project manager at the Ministry of National Security’s Citizen Security Secretariat; Senior Programme Development Specialist Simone Campbell; along with teachers and students from Kingston High.

“This mural is the visual expression of what is possible when young people are empowered to contribute to the betterment of their school and community. It stands as a lasting reminder that peace is possible, creativity has power, and our young people deserve every opportunity to thrive and achieve,” shared Shannique Bowden, executive director, JYAN.

Members of the team which did the Peace of Art mural at Kingston High School.

The Peace of Art Initiative was developed as a legacy component of JYAN’s #YouthAgainstViolence Project. While students across participating schools engaged in workshops focused on conflict resolution, violence prevention and gender-based violence awareness, JYAN sought to leave behind a permanent symbol of hope that students would encounter every day.

Kingston High was selected through the Citizen Security Secretariat School Intervention Strategy because of the school’s demonstrated commitment to positive transformation and student development.

“At Kingston High School we are intentional about creating a culture where peace, respect and excellence are not just ideals, but lived experiences for every student. We recognise that our responsibility extends beyond the school gates into the surrounding community, and we remain committed to nurturing young people who will become positive leaders and agents of change,” explained Jermaine Loutin, principal, Kingston High School.

The participating student artists were Leondre Wallace, Rohan Desouva, Terrique Ricketts, Rohanna Desouva, Kaylee Camdoou, Dashian Brown, Malik Dunn, and Julia Blackwood.

JYAN is a youth-led, youth-serving, non-governmental organisation dedicated to advancing the rights and well-being of young people through advocacy, education, leadership development, and strategic partnerships.