A unique initiative developed by Joanne Tawfillis in collaboration with the United Nations Association, San Diego Chapter that showcases murals spanning twelve miles (!!!). The Healing Hearts with Mural Arts advocates for the United Nations Culture of Peace and strives to raise awareness for the powerful Sustainable Development Goals.
The first of its kind in the world, The Art Miles Mural Project provides an innovative educational and healing opportunity to capture the essence, heritage, environment, and spirit of our global village through the creation of large-scale murals. It was inspired by Fouad and Joanne Tawfilis’ personal experiences and interaction with children and victims of conflict, war, poverty, natural and human disasters, violence, and environmental degradation.
Healing Hearts with Mural Arts grew from being a simple activity to fill empty, painful hours into a therapeutically healing way to mitigate suffering through self-expression on large scale canvas panels. What once began as a mural created on a bullet riddled sheet in a Bosnian orphanage, transformed into a mile, then three, and now twelve miles of murals painted on canvas with acrylic paint. (Picture by Joanne Tawfillis, children painting murals Hofburg Palace. Vienna, Austria)
The twelve miles of murals are contributions from more than ½ million participants across 100 countries. Painted in villages, towns, and cities around the globe including those artists located here at the World Cultural Heritage Project in San Diego County. Supported by the local United Nations Association in San Diego Chapter as part of the Art Miles Mural Project, the World Cultural Heritage Project is a highly visible, active supporter of the UNESCO Decades for the Culture of Peace during 2001-2010 and 2011-2021.
Learn more about Art Miles Mural Project and the Muramid Arts and Cultural Center founded by Joanne Tawfilis HERE.
Each mural mile is created to support the Culture of Peace and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Each consists of 440 murals that are five (5) by twelve (12) feet long and painted on canvas. It will take a total of 5,280 murals to complete the twelve-mile goal. To date, over 4,000 murals have been completed. Check out our most recent project 2020 Urban Ocean Art Miles Mural HERE.
Scores of national and international awards have been earned and presented to the Art Miles Mural Project throughout the year based on the important impact it makes in ‘healing” activities following human and natural disasters.
1) Women’s Equity | 2) Environment | 3) Fairy Tale | 4) Multi Cultural | 5) Sports | 6) Music | 7) Hero | 8) Senior | 9) Children’s
10) Indigenous | 11) Muralist | 12) Peace, Unity and Healing.