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OSCE Office awards prizes to winners of painting competition with police theme
MINGECHEVIR 21 June 2007
MINGECHEVIR, Azerbaijan, 21 June 2007 - About 40 school children were awarded prizes today for their paintings on how they would like police to function in society in a competition organized by the OSCE Office in Baku.
The competition in the rural town of Mingechevir was first of its kind in Azerbaijan. It was held as part of an OSCE Office Community Policing Project that aims to improve police-citizen relations. The artworks depicted subjects such as police officers handling trafficking jams, preventing crimes and helping the elderly.
"The paintings provide an interesting insight into how children would like police officers to act," said Robin Seaword, Deputy Head of the OSCE Office in Baku. "The motives show us that Community Policing, with its close ties between police officers and the people they serve, is welcome among children.
"Our Community Policing Project has run for a year now and its positive impact on police and community is evident."
The painting competition follows similar events such as an essay-writing competition, visits by school children to the Police Department, town-hall meetings and road traffic rules training sessions.
"The children's paintings highlight the responsibility we have towards them and towards the community at large," said Mehmet Erdem, OSCE Community Policing Expert.
The jury for the painting competition included one professional painter and several secondary school principals. The winning paintings will be shown in exhibitions and used for posters, postcards, calendars, and publications.
The competition in the rural town of Mingechevir was first of its kind in Azerbaijan. It was held as part of an OSCE Office Community Policing Project that aims to improve police-citizen relations. The artworks depicted subjects such as police officers handling trafficking jams, preventing crimes and helping the elderly.
"The paintings provide an interesting insight into how children would like police officers to act," said Robin Seaword, Deputy Head of the OSCE Office in Baku. "The motives show us that Community Policing, with its close ties between police officers and the people they serve, is welcome among children.
"Our Community Policing Project has run for a year now and its positive impact on police and community is evident."
The painting competition follows similar events such as an essay-writing competition, visits by school children to the Police Department, town-hall meetings and road traffic rules training sessions.
"The children's paintings highlight the responsibility we have towards them and towards the community at large," said Mehmet Erdem, OSCE Community Policing Expert.
The jury for the painting competition included one professional painter and several secondary school principals. The winning paintings will be shown in exhibitions and used for posters, postcards, calendars, and publications.