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5 Day Workshop Scholarship First name Email Last name Phone Address What are three goals you have in participating in this program? Suggest the payment plan that works for you. We will be in touch. How did you hear about the Singing Tree Project? 5 Day Workshop Scholarship - $2,000.00 Register Now Thank You!

c747b44a-3f3a-494a-bf95-3eb34fdf9326 < Back Howard Elementary Peace Dance Mural 1/1 In 7 days, 220 kids, Create Peace Project and Unity Through Creativity made a Peace Dance Mural, facilitated by Lili Lopez and Laurie Marshall. The Howard Elementary School painting in Oakland, CA was honored by Mayor Libby Schaaf. Adding, growing, collaborating, creating together. "Since I painted on the wall with the boy who used to bully me, he has been kinder to me," one of the students reported. Oakland, CA, USA Previous Next

87420cdc-59c2-4800-b976-288dbea7f045 < Back Lu Sutton Elementary Reading Garden Mural 1/1 Facilitators Lili Lopez and Laurie Marshall invited the students of Lu Sutton Elementary School in Novato, CA, to share their favorite books. These beloved stories were woven into a design that the students painted on the boards.The project demonstrated the 6 C's of the Novato Graduate Profile: Cultural Competence, Character, Collaboration, Communication, Critical Thinking, and Conscientious Learner. This was a project of the Sausalito Art Festival Foundation's Artist Teaching Art, Create Peace Project, Unity Through Creativity and Lu Sutton Elementary School. Novato, CA, USA Previous Next

7827807a-03b7-4951-88ec-1655aeb1bf9e Back to Gallery Mural # 110 The Kyangwali Singing Tree of Healing the Trauma of War Uganda 1/1 The Kyangwali Singing Tree of Healing the Trauma of War The Kyangwali Refugee camp is all too familiar with leaving one's homeland because of war. 95% of the refugees who live in the UN's settlement in northern Uganda have come from the Congo. The trauma of war has stayed with them for decades and the need for healing is intense. The Singing Tree process is a collective way for feelings to be expressed and stories to be shared - a necessary step in healing. Kanizius Nsabimana is the Lead Organizer who came up with the theme for the Singing Tree of Healing the Trauma of War. He fled the Congo to the refugee camp when he was seven in 1996. As a visionary educator, he founded Youth Challenge 4 Change which supports entrepreneurial projects by high school students and teaches Peace Building Through Sport. He has won a number of awards including the Saville Foundation Pan-African Award for Entrepreneurship in Education. Emma Kavuma is a world-renown Lead Artist, lives in Kampala, 6 hours away from the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement. He follows in his artist father's footsteps, even though he lost him and his mother as a young child. 4 year-old Emma picked up charcoal from the fireplace when his parents died and started drawing. Sharing the principle that creativity is a birthright, Emma brought art-making to Syrian refugees in the Netherlands. We need your help to launch The Kyangwali Refugee Settlement Singing Tree Project for Healing the Trauma of War . This community-involved, collaborative art project will address the traumas suffered by the more than 125,000 refugees and asylum-seekers, most from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, now living at Kyangwali in Northern Uganda. You will give the youth, adults, and elders of Kyangwali a foundational experience in practical peace-building. Participants will gain tools to become creative peace leaders to engage this refugee community in healing the trauma of war and addressing other challenges in their community. Click here support this project. Date: August 25, 2022 Facilitator: Emma Kavuma and Kanizius Nsabimana Partners: NA Location: 923104, Uganda, Nigeria Previous Next

93f55bae-23ff-4034-94fe-8daf323229c6 Back to Gallery Mural # 26 Seasons of Hope Singing Tree – Winter of Wellness 1/1 The Seasons of Hope Singing Trees, made with homeless and formerly homeless kids who led with 1000 young people to create these four murals in Marin County, California. Unity Through Creativity is no longer affiliated with Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity. Date: October 3, 2012 Facilitator: Laurie Marshall Partners: NA Location: Marin County, CA, USA Previous Next

8928c870-4389-4162-9396-75f89274604b Back to Gallery Mural # 122 The Afghan Singing Tree of Women’s Strength and Freedom 1/1 When the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021, Singing Tree Facilitator Anita Khatkani of Mumbai, India, and Unity Through Creativity founder, Laurie Marshall, of El Paso, Texas expressed their heartbreak by co-designing this mural. Afghanistan’s national bird - the golden eagle, its national tree - the pomegranate, and its national animal - the snow leopard – are all included. A map of Afghanistan is surrounded by a blood red line to represent the unearned suffering of the country. The young woman – denied education, autonomy, freedom - is held by the tree with a crown of pomegranates and leaves. Students in Dana Elemdorf’s Art Therapy program at Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania contributed pomegranates and leaves. Meeting athlete Neema Soratgar, a guest Research Scholar in UTEP’s Women’s Studies Center, added new dimension to the painting. Hearing her story of barely escaping the Taliban with her life, Neema’s strength and courage became symbolized by the snow leopard mother. The two cubs are her twin children. The exiled family all worked on and guided the painting. Volunteers in UTEP’s Women’s Study Center also spent many hours painting together and learning about the land and people of Afghanistan from Neema. Members of the Interfaith Alliance of the Southwest also added their support for the women and girls of Afghanistan by making leaves. After working for a year, the painting was unveiled at the International Day of Peace Celebration at Keystone Heritage Park . “Through the artistry and actions of this project, our Singing Tree Mural exemplifies a tireless commitment to making the world a better place for all of humanity.” - Neema Soratgar Neema Soratgar's Speech at the International Day of Peace Celebration "I am honored to stand here with this diverse and elite group of individuals today, united by a shared commitment to peace! Today, on this auspicious occasion of the international week of Peace, we gather here to think about the dire situation that has plagued Afghanistan women under the shadow of political Islam. This is the day we come together to bring ourselves to peace and justice, to extend our hands in solidarity with those who are suffering, and to defend the rights and dignity of Afghanistan women. The world has watched as Afghanistan transitioned to a regime where political Islam has taken center stage and they are satisfied with just saying that we are concerned For Afghan women, while this transition has brought about a cloud of fear, and the threat of regressive policies that could strip away women’s basic rights and freedoms. In these challenging times, we must stand in unwavering support of Afghanistan women, who have long been the unsung heroes their nation.Afghanistan has a rich history, where women have played pivotal roles in shaping the social fabric of their country. For years, they have been educators, healthcare workers, entrepreneurs, and leaders in their communities. They have been strong and persevered in the face of adversity. However, under the tyrannical grip of political Islam, their future hangs in the balance and is like being buried alive. In a country that half a decade ago was one of the happiest countries in the world, now its girls and women are suffering from various types of violence (openly and secretly) and oppression and are deprived of the right to education and work. I was in my country during the first period of the Taliban and I was when they were brought into power again, I am in contact with my family, my former students, athletes, and my colleagues every day, and I am also working on research on this issue, I hear and am aware of their pain and suffering, and this hurts me as a human and as a woman from that country. Most of them say that we are in fear and destitution due to the mental and psychological problems that have plagued us, another says that the worst kind of life is when your destiny is in the hands of someone else and against your pure wishes, and another one of my colleagues said "If one Talib is outside the house, there are many Talibs are fighting with us inside the house, and that is either a husband or a brother or a father because they used male domination and instilled fear in others to impose their willpower." One of the athlete girls said that I never thought of myself as so weak, I used to sleep with a beautiful dream of becoming a champion and now I have nightmares at night. We have a saying that a broken hand can work, but a broken heart does not! The sister of one of my friends, despite their poor economy, studied day and night and tried to take the Konkor exam which is the university entrance exam, after changing the power to Taliban soldures and due to her unemployment and poverty, her father wanted her to marry an old man for money, and she rejected this marriage. She was hit in the head, lost her nerves, and locked herself in a room with her books and didn’t want to leave the room. Another friend of mine for many years had a beauty salon, from which she supported her five close families, and sometimes I introduced to her some women who were looking for a job so that she could work in the salon, but now salons are closed by Taliban, she called me crying and said, "Neema, how can I find food for twelve children of our families?" It is our moral duty, as global citizens, and advocates for peace, to extend our support and protection to the Afghanistan women who are living in the shadow of uncertainty. We must remember that peace is not a one-sided endeavor. To the leaders and decision-makers who have the power to influence the fate of Afghanistan's people, I implore you to consider the profound implications of your actions. Women's rights are not a matter of convenience or cultural relativism; they are universal, inalienable rights and Women's rights is God-given rights. It is incumbent upon those who wield power to uphold these rights and ensure that the women of Afghanistan are not left behind. I call on the brave and sacrificial women of Afghanistan who are in every corner of this world to continue to fight for peace, social justice, and freedom with tireless efforts alongside women who are under unjust domination. world women together can be the voices of Afghanistan’s women on the international stage. Be the voice that has been silenced by the world's indifference to their situation and from the severity of the pain. Human rights and social justice for all is peace.Thank you for being here today in this noble endeavor and strive for a more just and peaceful world. -Neema Soratgar Date: July 12, 2023 Facilitator: Laurie Marshall Partners: Women’s Studies Department of the University of Texas El Paso Interfaith Alliance of the Southwest Seton Hill University, PA Keystone Heritage Park Location: El Paso, TX, USA Previous Next

Programs The Focus of Our Efforts Singing Tree Mural Project Collaborative art project inspired by the mutualism of trees and forests. Team Building What if everyone in your organization worked together like the leaves of a tree? Collaborative Murals Our signature Arts Integration process takes many ideas and folds them into one original mural. Inner Landscapes A way to express the knowledge and wisdom that lies in our hearts and souls. Hero's Journey Professional Development for Teachers and Arts Integration Projects Call for Participation You are invited to contribute and add your vision and voice to a Singing Tree Mural.

Singing Tree Facilitator Package UTC Business Card Empty business card template available here. or Email info@unitythroughcreativity.org and we can add your information to the card Singing Tree Peace-Builder Certificate for Youth Empty certificate here. or Email info@unitythroughcreativity.org and we can add the information to the certificate. Address Labels Photography and Video Learn how to document your project. Tips and tricks to get the best images and footage to make a final video to show the world what has been created. Singing Tree Guild Meetings Access to all past Singing Tree Guild meetings here.

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01822e12-3e7b-44f0-a3ba-c2b8536ac492 Back to Gallery Mural # 46 The Singing Tree of Teaching for Sustainable Communities 1/1 "The Singing Tree of Teaching for Sustainable Communities" at Sonoma State University , magnificently organized by Michelle Mazzeo and Emily Schell. 30 dedicated, passionate educators connecting to empower young people to use their genius to heal our earth, our communities. Date: July 27, 2017 Facilitator: Laurie Marshall Partners: Sonoma State University Location: 1801 E Cotati Ave, Rohnert Park, CA 94928, USA Previous Next

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Why Art for Peace 1. The act of making a decision and taking action in creating a work of art, no matter how small, uses the prefrontal and neo-cortex, the thinking brain. The artistic activity takes people out of using the basal ganglia/brain stem region, where territoriality and survival worry take place. Pain relieving endorphins, connecting serotonin and positive feeling oxytocin is released when creating art. Thus, people are in a different head and heart space than when there is only talking. 2. Creativity requires vulnerability, so people are automatically more open, often without even realizing it. 3. Expressing one’s inner experience and seeing the inner experience of someone else, increases trust. 4. Playing with each other allows people to shift rigid views. 5. Achieving the small visible goal of creating a work of art together is practice for achieving larger, more complex goals.

Scholarship Payment Singing Tree Mural Certification Scholarship Payment Form First Name Email Last Name Phone Number What are three goals you have in taking this program? How did you hear about the Singing Tree Mural Project? Comments Amount Due $ Proceed to Checkout Thanks for your order!

0fffd9a0-2f59-4fe5-a89c-ec4cc989c82a Back to Gallery Mural # 30 Singing Tree of Living Waters 1/1 The Singing Tree of Living Waters made by students in Stephanie Gleeson Ripka's K - 6 Art Classes in Penn's Valley Area School District, Pennsylvania and students in Ghana. The design was made by a student to honor the connection between young people in these two countries who are studying the effect of global warming on the water and diseases of their lands. This mosaic is 4' x 6'. 1200 students participated. Stephanie will be presenting at a symposium in Africa. Date: February 7, 2014 Facilitator: Stephanie Gleeson Ripka Partners: Penn's Valley Area School District, Pennsylvania Location: Pennsylvania, USA Previous Next

93bf3f89-8e35-4524-b515-9636bbfd5999 Back to Gallery Mural # 87 The Rowan Singing Tree of Embracing Our Unknown 1/1 The 1st “Co-heart” of Certified Singing Tree Facilitators began on-line in August, 2020 with 12 people from five countries. Though we were spread around the world, we co-created The Rowan Singing Tree of Embracing Our Unknown, as practice for healing heartbreak through the Singing Tree methodology. After generating a list of over 30 issues, we focused on the uncertainty in the world, co-creating a symbol that allowed the many unknowns we face as individuals and a world to be a shared experience which we embrace together. Each participant made an image using the Singing Tree structure of a tree on the earth in space. They photographed their image and sent it to me electronically. I synthesized their work into one symbol as well as printed out their unique ideas to be included in the mural. Each participant also colored leaves with the images of their gift to the Unknown and birds with images with their wish for the Unknown. Date: September 15, 2020 Facilitator: Laurie Marshall Partners: NA Location: Previous Next