“Our Beautiful Water” was the first successful project with the Aswan-Sonoma committee and was designed and implemented by Art and Culture sub-committee Chair, Arlene Sukolsky. Sonoma historian and Education sub-committee Chair, George McKale, implemented this project with the Sonoma Girls & Boys Club.
Winners of the art project were determined by a distinguished panel of judges: The Hon. Heba Zaki, Consul from the Egyptian Consulate General in San Francisco; renowned artist, Mr. Chester Arnold and Environment sub-committee Chair, Mr. Ted Chenoweth.
In October, 2010, a group of Sonoma-Aswan Sister City Committee members traveled to Aswan. One of the highlights of the trip was an award ceremony and banquet in which the children were honored.
Without water, we are nothing. This is true of the human body or the country in which we live. This precious commodity, which we have taken for granted for far too long, is diminishing in size and quality. The world is just now awakening to calls for action at every level. It is folk wisdom that every journey starts with a small step, and the capability exists within each of us to make a contribution, no matter how small. And change does begin at home.
The goal of Our Beautiful Water is to raise environmental and cultural awareness of the importance of water in children’s everyday lives, and their responsibility to preserve and improve the quality and sustainability of the water in their communities.
The Project: Sonoma and Aswan youths of middle school age, 10 to 12 years old, will be asked to draw pictures of how they see and understand the importance of the major water source in their lives. One can only assume this will mean the majestic and all important River Nile for the Aswan children; the Sonoma children have more of a variety to select and describe. Each “artist” will be asked to write a short statement about their work, and sign it with name and age. Colored pencils and art paper will be distributed, and the pictures will be of a size that allows portability and exchange.
~Arlene Sukolsky
