Cartoonists showcase work on human rights

At least 100 artists from 42 countries showcase skills at international exhibition in Philippines

More than a hundred cartoonists from around the world have gathered in the central Philippine city of Cebu this week to showcase their work.

This year’s exhibition focused on the issue of human rights and how they are being abused or respected in different parts of the world.

Bern Fabro, chairman of the Cebu Lampoon Festival, said the aim of this year’s event is to let the voices of young people to be heard.

“We believe that the advocacy in upholding human rights should start at the grassroots level,” he said.

Included in the exhibit are the works of 41 student cartoonists from Indonesia, Iran, Serbia, Turkey and the Philippines.

“This year, we are bringing again the world to Cebu … for students to see, scrutinize and digest,” said Crisanto Etorma of the local group Yoyoy Satiristang Bisaya.

He said the student category of the exhibition “aims to inspire the young on the advocacy of cartooning and to make them aware about human rights.”

At least a hundred professional cartoonists from 42 countries have submitted their work for the exhibition.

“Today, with human rights under attack, cartooning is a way to defend them,” organizers of the event said.

The works included “challenges to attacks” on the media, women, children and civil rights.

Most entries came from Iranian cartoonists whose works were banned by their government.

Among those featured in the exhibition are the works of Syrian Taher Saoud who was once detained by the authorities in his country, after they took offence to some of his work. 

Also included is works of Belgian cartoonist Luc Descheemaeker and Fadi Abou Hassan, a Palestinian freelancer, who was arrested and detained for 80 days in 2009 because of the cartoons he published.