Iran charity auctions paintings by children of labor

A number of actors, singers and athletes have attended a charity auction of paintings by children during an exhibition in the Iranian capital city of Tehran.

Some 150 paintings by 150 kids from schools for children in labor were auctioned off to Iranian celebrities, artists and sports figures during the exhibition titled ‘I Painted My City Air Blue’ at Tehran’s Arasbaran Cultural Center on January 22.

“We have gathered here today to keep working kids motivated and hopeful, and stir people’s conscience not to forget humanity,” said Iranian actress Mahnaz Afshar, the spokesperson of the campaign.

A number of actors, singers and athletes – including actor Kamand Amirsoleimani, kick boxing champion Mehdi Safaei and singer Khashayar Etemadi – attended the event and purchased some artworks.

“Even though some may say we are just showing off, I am still here to tell at least one person that the children of our land are the ones who make the future of this country and they should receive enough attention and affection,” Afshar noted.

Other notable participants included poet Yaghma Golrouee, singer Yaser Bakhtiari, actors Nafiseh Roshan and Saman Guran, TV hosts Sara Rustapur and Morteza Yaraqbafan, and speed skater champion Negin Dadkhah.

Proceeds of the event will be dedicated to the education of working children.

Supported by the NGO and social campaign ‘Lonelier With Negligent Guardians’, the theme of the exhibition and auction was the environmental issue of clean air.

The children whose works were shown at the event live in dysfunctional families and suffer from extreme poverty, malnutrition and parental ignorance, addiction, illness and mental health problems, as well as divorce, death or absence of one parent, usually the father.

AI/AI