Helping children around the world paint in a single language

International Children’s Art and Writing Exchange
If your school would like to participate, fill out form; US schools please enclose $75 (includes 2 classrooms) per school. Non-US schools, no charge.


2005-2006 Theme: In My Shoes 

When do I put my shoes on in the morning? Where do my shoes take me each day? Do I see my family, or my pets? Do I visit my backyard, or my neighbors? Sometimes, I might walk to town, or ride in a car, bus or train. I might ride my friend’s bike. Some of my shoes could be old and worn out, but maybe I have a favorite pair that I keep anyway. Someday, will I wear shoes like my parents or other grownups? Some shoes are for special situations or jobs. In some parts of the world, shoes are not worn at all, or only sometimes. What shoes do people wear in other lands, and how do their shoes tell me something about their lives? Each of us is a little different, and so are our shoes.

Exchange History
Through the exchange program, an educational forum is provided for communication and understanding. By exchanging art, students are connected internationally, on a classroom to classroom level.

Each year, a new theme is chosen and a “Diplomatic Pouch” is developed, which contains a teacher’s guide integrating social studies, language arts, geography, and art. These themes focus the program, and provide a sense of world unity and commonality among students.

Paintbrush Diplomacy draws from a global palette of more than 35 countries to exchange art among the world’s children. A partial list of participating nations includes:

• 1995-1996 Children’s History of the United Nations and Global Family
• 1996-1997 Inventions, Inventors and Imagination
• 1997-1998 Global Diner: Foods of the World
• 1998-1999 Wonders of your World
• 1999-2000 World Beat: Music and dance around the world
• 2000-2001 United World
• 2003-2004 Freshwater and what it means to you and your environment
• 2004-2005 Sharing with Others