Summary:
A project called “Protect Yourself Against School Harassment” brought together young people in Monaco to raise awareness about and combat school harassment through art.
Full Story:
With the support of the Department of Education, Youth and Sports, as well as the Department of the Interior, the project “Protège-toi contre le harcèlement en milieu scolaire” (Protect yourself against bullying in schools), proposed by the Femmes Leaders Mondiales Monaco (FLMM) and the Association for the Aid of Victims of Criminal Offenses (AVIP), aimed to raise awareness among nearly 100 Monaco middle and high school students about bullying in schools through art as a powerful means of prevention, dialogue, and emotional transformation.
This initiative, held every Thursday in November, in line with the National Day against Bullying in Schools, brought together four renowned artists – INESSA, MOYA, MR OneTeas, and BELI – three associations (FLMM, AVIP, PenClub), and four educational institutions (FANB, Collège Charles III, Lycée Albert 1er, Lycée Rainier III).
Throughout November, the artists conducted interventions in four Monegasque institutions every Thursday:
– On November 7th, at Collège François d’Assise-Nicolas Barré (FANB), INESSA launched the action with 18 students in an art class, engaging them in a role-playing activity resembling a play. The students chose to participate in one of four groups symbolizing the different aspects of bullying in schools: the victims, the bullies, the bystanders, and the advisors. Each group explored their roles by working on masks, enabling the students to understand different perspectives and emotions.
– On November 14th, at Collège Charles III, MOYA led a workshop with 37 5th-grade students and their art teacher, creating a giant artwork inspired by “Cirque de Moya,” reflecting a joyful universe to approach a serious subject. Each participating student received a personalized artwork from the artist, who, in return, received drawings from the students as a token of appreciation. The group work reinforced the sense of community and the importance of living together harmoniously.
– On November 21st, at Lycée Albert Ier, MR OneTeas worked with 21 students on a collaborative artwork on bullying in schools. After three weeks of artistic and pedagogical preparation with their art teacher, the students created a powerful and committed piece of art, demonstrating that together, they feel less alone in facing their emotions. This intervention highlighted the power of collaboration and the real impact of art on sensitive issues.
– On November 28th, at Lycée Rainier III, BELI explored the role of love, self-acceptance, and celebrating differences with 21 students by creating an artwork featuring her famous “little characters.” This final step emphasized the importance of positive emotions in expressing one’s struggles.
The “Protège-toi contre le harcèlement en milieu scolaire” project represents a virtuous circle of education, collaboration, prevention, awareness, and emotional transformation through artistic creation. By involving local actors and professionals from various sectors, the project fosters connections between artists, associations, educational institutions, and students. By emphasizing artistic expression, this initiative provided young people with a platform to learn how to talk about bullying in schools and promote harmonious living, imparting values of respect, love, and solidarity to the future generation of Monegasque leaders.
The four artworks created in the institutions will remain displayed on-site, showcasing the institutions’ and students’ commitment to fighting this issue. The four murals will soon be collected in an illustrated art book with texts from the Pen Club of Monaco, a project partner, to extend the impact of the initiative and raise awareness among a wider audience about the fight against bullying in schools.
Source:
Gouvernement Monaco
