At least 2,000 children from Herat, Kabul and Kandahar provinces on Tuesday launched a painting campaign for peace to raise their voice for peace and an end to the ongoing conflict which has gripped the Afghans over the past 27 years.

The initiative is aimed at using the power of art to bridge gaps and forge peace in the country.

They called on the Taliban to end the war in the country.

“The arts and the calligraphy reflect the peace process, even there is a deeper look at peace in these paintings than the elderly people. They also show gender discrimination such as illiteracy, family violence and some other issues on which the children worked very well,” said Roh-ul Amin Amini, an organizer of the event.

The activists said the ongoing war has devasted every sector in Afghanistan.

“I wish peace and reconciliation to rule in my country. If there is peace, there is prosperity everywhere. If there is war, then everywhere there is destruction,” said one event participant Mahdia Sultani.

“We have witnessed 40 years of war. It has been a big tragedy to our children and our people. I hope that Afghanistan becomes amongst those countries where there is peace,” said Shaqayeq Arab Nezhad, a student in Herat.

“I support peace. I love to see peace in my country,” said Rosana Wahdat, a student.

Officials from Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) expressed their concerns over the plight of the Afghan children in the insecure areas of the country.

According to AIHRC officials in Herat, the warring factions are not taking any step to protect civilians during the battles and that the issue has left negative impacts on the lives of children in warzones.

“Children are the number one victims in warzones,” said Abdul Qader Rahimi, AIHRC commissioner in Herat.