150 youth leaders from all over Mountain Province were involved in the co-creation of the Colorful Condoms for Consciousness Mandala. It was a fantastic consciousness raising success during the Youth Summit for Health, Population and the Environment.
The creative process involved touching, opening, and inspecting condoms. Like many, many other towns in developing countries, most of the folks here have never seen a condom, let alone touched or talked about them. Sex and protection are an unspoken taboo-- despite of course sex's ubiquitous inevitable reality. And, alas, the heavy toll of unconscious sex on health, population and the environment.
Having the condoms around in this playful artistic context gave the youth an opportunity to socialize, laugh and joke around-- busting through fears, naiveté and ignorance!
The provincial Governor passed by to see what we were doing. In a speech praising the activity, he admitted that he too had never seen a condom before. Other speakers likewise talked about how this minimal sexual and reproductive consciousness weighs heavy on social systems and the environment.
It was an awesome example of how art and mandalas raise consciousness.
Together we read and affirmed the intention/prayer: "May the youth of Mountain Province be empowered to be conscious and intentional about using their sexual and creative energy to make the world a better place."
Amen! Let it be so!
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Condoms supplied by Frenzy Condoms
Co-created by
Artist ® / Irina Otmakhova / Ebgan Inc / United Community for Modern Patriots /
Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) / UNFPA Philippines
We are grateful for the solidarity shown to us by our international friends members of WGNRR:
Youth Action Nepal
SAYWHAT, Zimbabwe
Generation Initiative for Women and Youth Netwokr, Nigeria
Fortress of Hope Africa, Kenya
Peace Foundation, Pakistan
Read more on the artist's blog: http://missive452.blogspot
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