Young artists create lasting symbol of Falkirk–Jayyous friendship
Thirty-two pupils from Larbert High School and Braes High School have helped create a new Peace Scroll celebrating a long-standing connection between Falkirk and the Palestinian community of Jayyous.
The project builds on an earlier Peace Scroll produced in 2005 and gave a new generation of young people the opportunity to contribute their own creative work.
Through workshops and discussions, pupils learned about Jayyous and explored themes including culture, landscape and community. They also looked closer to home for inspiration, drawing on landmarks and symbols including the Falkirk Wheel, the Kelpies, the Antonine Wall, school tartans, the thistle and the unicorn.
Working in watercolour, gouache, acrylic and digital media, each pupil created an individual piece of artwork. The artwork was then carefully brought together to form a decorative border around the scroll, combining dozens of unique ideas into a single collaborative piece.
The completed design features illustrations, decorative artwork and bilingual text, creating a colourful and distinctive piece that reflects the contributions of pupils from both schools.
The project was developed in partnership with the Antonine Friendship Link, which has promoted understanding and connections between Falkirk and Jayyous since 2004.
The completed scroll will now be signed by elected members at a meeting of Falkirk Council on 1 October. Its final display location is expected to be confirmed shortly. News of the project has also been shared with community leaders in Jayyous and the secondary schools there who are looking forward to receiving their copy of the Scroll.
Provost Robert Bissett said:
It has been a pleasure to see this project come together and to meet some of the young people whose creativity has made it possible.
"The finished scroll is a remarkable piece of work. Every pupil has made their own contribution and the result is something that is both visually impressive and meaningful.
"I would like to thank the pupils and teachers from Larbert High School and Braes High School, along with everyone involved in the project. Their talent, enthusiasm and teamwork have created something that will be valued for many years to come.
"This scroll is a wonderful example of how art can bring people together, encourage learning about different communities and leave a lasting legacy for future generations
Mhairi McAinsh, Teacher of Art and Design, said:
It was wonderful to see pupils fully immersed in their own work and working as a team.
"They moved their artworks around, shared ideas, gave thoughtful feedback to improve works and helped one another throughout.
"Knowing their work would be seen and cherished by friends in Jayyous made every pupil feel their contribution really mattered.
"The final scroll brings together many individual creative voices into one beautiful piece of artwork and will stand as a lasting symbol of friendship, respect and mutual appreciation between the two communities.
Kevin Robertson from Antonine Friendship Link, said:
This project has been a wonderful example of what can be achieved when schools, young people and community volunteers work together.
"The pupils have created something truly special. Each contribution adds a different perspective, and together they have produced a piece of artwork that reflects creativity, friendship and a shared sense of community.
"We are grateful to everyone who has supported the project and particularly to the pupils and teachers from Larbert High School and Braes High School. Their work has helped create a lasting symbol of the connection between Falkirk and Jayyous that can be appreciated by both communities for many years to come.
The new scroll builds on work completed in 2019 while providing an opportunity for a new generation of pupils to leave their own creative mark on the project.
More information can be found on the Antonine Friendship Link website.