In 1969, on the occasion of the World Children’s Day, the first international festival of children’s songs and dances “Joy of Europe” was held in Belgrade with the support of the city authorities, President Tito, UNICEF and the United Nations General Assembly. More than half a century has passed since then and over 20,000 children have visited Belgrade. In 1998, the 25th jubilee meeting “Joy of Europe” received a new significant programme content – the International Art Competition, in which individuals, preschool institutions, schools, children’s art studios, children’s cultural centres and similar institutions and associations from all over the world have participated since its establishment (children and the youth aged 4 to 18). Artworks created in the pencil, tempera, gouache, watercolour, pastel, ink, collage or graphics techniques have been making up the rich palette of the traditional manifestation for 27 years.
The slogan of the 56th International Gathering of Children of Europe “Joy of Europe” is EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE IF YOU BELIEVE IN IMPOSSIBLE! Inspired by Lewis Carroll’s masterpiece “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, it was chosen to encourage both children and adults to dream without limits, explore a world full of wonders and believe even when things they dream about seem impossible.
This year, 2,610 works were submitted to the 27th International Art Competition “Joy of Europe”, from cities across Serbia, as well as cities from: Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Egypt, India, Italy, Armenia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Namibia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Thailand, Taiwan, Croatia, Czech Republic, Montenegro, Finland and Hong Kong. Professionally selected artworks represent, on the one hand, a significant document of the visual culture of childhood, and on the other hand, a great incentive for young creators, as well as for art pedagogues and all those who support the purity of children’s expression, thoughts and creation.
The selected artworks, which arrived at the International Art Competition, traditionally find their place on the commemorative postage stamp “Joy of Europe” issued by the Public Enterprise “Post of Serbia” every year at the end of September.
The motif on the stamp is the work of Darija Nikitjuk (age 14, Belarus). The authors of the works on the vignettes are as follows: Tara Vorkapić (age 14, Serbia), Lena Simić (age 14, Serbia), Hong-Rui Yu (age 8, Taiwan), Rebeka Zollerova (age 7, Slovakia), Aleksandra Tsaneva (age 6, Bulgaria), Terezia Adamska (age 8, Slovakia), Sofia Tychyna (age 13, Belarus). The author of the work on the envelope is Artemy Schahlov (age 11, Belarus).
