DIYWEEK.net

AkzoNobel and global peace movement MasterPeace have reached the milestone of creating 100 "walls of connection" in more than 30 cities this year. The 100th mural was painted this week at the AkzoNobel education center in Badshahpur, Gurgaon, India.

The partnership was announced with the first mural in Rotterdam, the Netherlands in March of this year, and has since revitalized walls in cities around the world including Jakarta, Indonesia; Quito, Ecuador; London, the UK; and Karachi, Pakistan. Let's Colour Walls of Connection has demonstrated the power of paint brands, such as Dulux, to uplift communities and make living  spaces more liveable and enjoyable. In fun and surprising ways, these walls have brought communities together in celebrating unity, kindness and connection.

"We believe in the power of togetherness, and by helping bring citizens together to visualize their dreams and talk about them, we hope to bring down some of the walls we have built up in our minds," said Aart Bos, MasterPeace Global Leadership Team. "It is truly fantastic to see the work that has been done by everyone around the world, driving change towards more inclusive and resilient communities. The activities that I witnessed over the past months show that our promise turned into an inspiring reality for many."

The 100th mural was painted this week at one location of AkzoNobel's education project in India. Named 'parivartan', meaning 'change', the project has transformed the lives of more than 5,000 children by getting them back into school with bridge education and ensuring they continue their education and improve their grades. The Gurgaon location provides education to children from unprivileged backgrounds.

"We are delighted that the culmination of the Walls of Connection project is aptly taking place at AkzoNobel education center. We firmly believe that education plays a crucial role in breaking down barriers, resulting in an egalitarian and enlightened society. That's why we  focus on providing education to underprivileged children," added David Teng, General Manager, Decorative Paints, South Asia Cluster, AkzoNobel India.

Through Let's Colour Walls of Connection, AkzoNobel and MasterPeace were also able to contribute to two of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: creating sustainable cities and communities and forming partnerships to achieve the goals.