Telling stories about peace

JAKARTA: It is not easy to define what peace is, especially for children, even when you're trying to explain it through simple stories.

Five finalists in a story-telling contest told an audience of children about the meaning of peace on Saturday, through their stories about, among other things, a crippled boy and a fierce giant, and a little deaf girl and a dragon.

The children came from an orphanage in Jelambar, West Jakarta and were invited to watch the competition held by the privately- run Trisakti University's school of fine arts and design.

The winners were Achmad Rafik, a student at the state-run Jakarta University, Iani Rida Setia Hutasuhut from Trisakti University, and Ani Sigit, a kindergarten teacher. They received cash prizes of, respectively, Rp 1.5 million, Rp 1 million and Rp 750,000.

The panel of judges included Suyadi, who dubbed the voice of Pak Raden (an antagonist in the once-popular Si Unyil puppet film serial), teacher Mrs. Sandiyah Suryadi, or Ibu Kasur, and story teller Wisnuadji.--JP