A message of hope from East Texas has made its way into the hands of children forced to flee the conflict in Ukraine.
On Wednesday, a delegation from the City of Tyler and the Tyler Sister Cities Organization presented the artwork of East Texas schoolchildren to a refugee resource center in Jelenia Góra, Poland. It was donated by the Tyler Art School, a private studio serving about 50 children.
The coordinator for the refugee center hung the artwork on the walls as a way to welcome first-time visitors and regular patrons.
The East Texas representatives are on a week-long mission to one of Tyler’s oldest sister cities in an effort to strengthen ties between the two communities. Earlier in the morning, the delegation met with Ukrainian refugees who have sought refuge in the Lower Silesia region of western Poland.
The delegation presented more of the art to other Ukrainian children at a city-run apartment building for refugees. One of the girls, in tears, attempted to say “thank you” in English.
Earlier in the Summer, these collages, sketches, and paintings from the Tyler Art School were on display at Tyler’s Rose Garden Museum. Many of the canvasses feature Ukraine’s national flower, the sunflower, which has also become a symbol for resistance. The works also depict doves, hearts, the Ukrainian flag.
After the exhibition ended, Tyler Art School director Linda Wheat packed the creations for the delegation to hand-deliver to Poland. Wheat said she never imagined the project coming full circle like this.
Tyler Sister Cities Organization is still accepting donations to support humanitarian relief efforts in Jelenia Góra. To learn more, visit: https://tylersistercities.org/aid-for-ukraine
The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of KLTV/KTRE-TV or Gray Television. They are solely the opinion of the author. All content © Copyright 2022 Lane Luckie
Lane Luckie 