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Home>Service> Awardees of Fervent Global Love of Lives Award> 8th Fervent Global Love of Lives Award 2005> Peaceful hand-- Kerry Bowden
Promote peace; pass down the hope
      Born 1946 in Randwick Australia, Kerry Bowden is the founder of “Peaceful Hand”-- One Mind, One Voice to exchange handprint of peach. An Australian artist, poet, writer and peace activist, she has worked in arts for more than thirty years. It is important to mention that she has spent a long period of time training Australian aboriginal artists to improve their lives and their status in society. Therefore, she was awarded a medal “Order of Australia” from Australian prime minister.

      In 1960, she dropped out of school because of family reasons at age of 14. Then, she got married with Brian and raised three children. She usually worked in the neighborhood of Queensland. In 1968, she was self-taught and learned oil painting at 22. She started the painting style using the subject of aboriginals. Furthermore, she began to live with the Australian aboriginals in order to systematically organize their lives, custom, history, and thought. Through artworks to light up the life of the aboriginals, she provided an opportunity for Australian people to understand the aboriginals so as to get along with and help them.

      Her family moved to Sunshine Coast of Brisbane City in Queensland, Australia in 1976. The artworks which lighted up the life of Austrian aboriginals became world-renowned. Later on, the subjects of her creation were the true, the good and the beautiful essence of Sunshine Coast. So, the paintings promoted the trend of tourism at the time. In 1980, she worked with local artists to organize gallery in Noosd area and became the person in charge for many years. This not only expands her horizon in arts but, at the same time, it also organizes many more artists into the group of volunteers for training Australian aboriginal artists. 

      When she traveled to Mornington Island in 1982, she wrote the first poem: Where are all the people In 1984, she used the aboriginal pattern to design clothing in the subject of her name and held a fund-raising sale for the preparation of “Australian aboriginal artists training center”. These clothing were sold in Australia, Spain and other European region. From 1987 to 1990, she served as an art consultant for Cherbourg aboriginals and trained many artists at the time. In 1991, she was awarded a medal, Order of Australia, from Australian prime minister because of her continuous contribution to arts and aboriginals. 

      During 1992~1996, she founded an aboriginal art museum at Sunshine Coast and hired thirty aboriginal artists whom she trained. In 1996, she published her first poetry: “One Mind, One Voice”, which captured people’s attention from all walks of life. It was ranked the third place for 1996 Australia Bestseller. 

      Since 2000, her back pain caused by a car accident bothers her continuously so she began to study the internet. On December 1, her third grandson was born. She was still worried about the world so she decided to make contributions. During 2000~2002, she set up the internet. In November 2001 after the federation army bombed Afghanistan, she contacted Israel national artist Yahya Sayed to create a poem “Call from Afghanistan”. In June 2002, she contacted Israel musician Ofir Nafka to jointly search for peace. 

      On July 17 2002, she published “One Mind, One Voice” life poem. A few days later, she wrote an e-mail to Israel musician Ofir Nafka; later, Ofir Nafka composed a song to Afghanistan artist Yahya Sayed. In August 2002, Afghanistan artist Yahya Sayed produced a movie which caused a great sensation and reflection from people in Afghanistan. Ms. Kerry Bowden set up a website “One Mind, One Voice” [www. one mind one voice.org] on Sep. 11, 2002, the anniversary of 911. She requested to spread the words of peace to every corner in the world. Several days later, French President Chirac showed his support. Within three weeks, Australian President Jolcques Chirolc contacted Ms. Kerry Bowden and encouraged her efforts. She was also supported by Australian Congress and was appointed the Australian representative of the “Peaceful Hands”, the world tour of exchanging peaceful handprints. 

      In January 2003, Ms. Kerry Bowden founded Global Children Alliance to improve the development of humanity. In March, the “Peaceful Hands” Exhibition was held nationwide in Australia. People from all over the world and Arsenio Rodriguez, a Nobelist of Peace Award, showed their support. In August 2003, Taipei Jia Yin Culture and Education Foundation invited her to Taiwan. She joined the peaceful handprints from Taiwan with those from Australian to improve the world peace.