An evocative exhibition titled "Children Still Draw the Sun" has opened at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi, bringing to light the haunting drawings recovered from the rubble of a destroyed school in Hormozgan province's Minab city.
According to the organisers, the exhibition showcases artworks created by children whose lives were cut short in a devastating military strike.
"The school in Minab was destroyed following an attack attributed to the United States and Israel. In the aftermath, rescue workers from the Red Crescent sifted through debris, salvaging what remained-notebooks, loose pages, and fragile drawings-many of which are now on display," Iranian Ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali told NDTV.
Despite the destruction surrounding their recovery, the drawings reflect a world untouched by violence. Bright suns, open skies, homes, and hopeful imagery dominate the pages. "The world depicted in them is still simple, bright, and trustworthy," reads a note accompanying the exhibit. Yet the contrast is stark. Outside those drawings lies a reality that shattered that innocence.
Another Iranian official, Mehdi Esfandiari, said, "The exhibition does more than present art-it tells stories. One of the most moving accounts is that of Makan Nasiri, described as the only child from the primary school whose body was never found. All that remained of him, organisers say, was a crumpled blue sweater and a pair of cream-coloured sneakers. His absence echoes through the gallery, symbolising countless lives lost in conflict."
Visitors moving through the exhibition encounter not just images but silence-an absence that speaks louder than words. Each drawing becomes a testimony, a fragment of a life interrupted. Together, they form a collective narrative of childhood, abruptly halted.
The Iranian ambassador further highlighted that children should never be victims of war, yet, as history repeatedly shows, they often bear its deepest scars. "In every war, many worlds collapse with their extinguishing," the exhibition notes, underscoring the human cost beyond political narratives and military strategies.
The exhibition has drawn diplomats, artists, and members of the public, sparking conversations about conflict, accountability, and the protection of civilians-especially children.
"Children Still Draw the Sun" stands as both a memorial and a reminder even in the darkest times, children imagine light. It is the world around them that must answer why that light was taken away.
