At the heart of the Belgian city of Torhout, within the open-air grounds of the “de Brouckère” Cultural Center, a powerful international cartoon exhibition has opened under the title “Children in War.” More than a traditional exhibition, the project stands as a visual testimony to the devastating impact of war on childhood across the world.
Running from May 8 through September 30, 2026, the exhibition is organized through a collaboration between Cartoon Home Network International, the City of Torhout, and the peace initiative “Grandparents for Peace.” The exhibition invites visitors to confront one of humanity’s darkest realities through the universal language of cartoon art.
The Archive of Agony: 76 Countries, One Shared Cry
Behind this monumental effort are Syrian-Palestinian cartoonist Fadi Abou Hassan (FadiToOn) and acclaimed Belgian cartoonist Luc Descheemaeker, who together mobilized an extraordinary international participation.
A total of 400 cartoonists from 76 countries contributed 890 artworks, forming a global archive of resistance against war and violence directed at children.
“No to war… No to the slaughter of the innocent… Save the children.”
This collective message transcends borders, religions, and political divisions.
From the vast collection, curators selected 32 core works to form the main exhibition corpus. The participating artists include internationally recognized names such as Agim Sulaj, Marco De Angelis, Tjeerd Royaards, Elena Ospina, alongside artists from Syria, Cuba, Poland, Indonesia, Iran, Bulgaria, Egypt, Russia, and many other countries.
Together, their drawings document the harsh realities faced by children trapped inside conflict zones — displacement, fear, destruction, and the irreversible loss of innocence.
Beyond the Canvas
A cartoonist’s pen may not stop tanks or silence weapons. Yet it possesses something equally important: the power of refusal.
“Children in War” is not simply an exhibition; it is a moral statement. It asks viewers to witness what the world too often ignores and challenges humanity’s growing numbness toward endless violence.
In a time when wars dominate headlines and civilian suffering risks becoming normalized, the exhibition serves as a reminder that art remains one of humanity’s final tools for conscience, memory, and resistance.
Visit the Exhibition
The exhibition remains open daily to the public in the gardens of the “de Brouckère” Cultural Center in Torhout until the end of September 2026.
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For all who believe art still has the power to defend humanity, the exhibition stands as an open invitation.
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