Representing their country.

The uniqueness of a nation is often demonstrated in its culture. The cultural practices and ideas that are valued and encouraged in one country do not exist in the same context in other countries. Such differences in cultural appreciation and lack of understanding often lead to conflicts between nations. Wars, political clashes and other disputes result from the inability to understand and tolerate different cultures. An important step in which people can help to eliminate these problems is to share their culture with the global community. Sharing one's culture creates opportunities for dialogue; through dialogue and communication, differences are merged and people come to an understanding.

The First International Exhibition of Cultural Figurines and Puppets in Munich, Germany, aims to do just that. Held from May 23 to June 17, 2006, the exhibition at the Galeria Kaufhof will display figurines and puppets made by children in 18 countries. It will precede the 2006 FIFA World Cup and is considered a major cultural event of the season. The children will show how they interpret and share their respective cultures to gain others' understanding. Their collective creativity and individual expression will come together to highlight the importance of unity and diversity.

Twenty seventh-grade students at St. Patrick's Episcopal Day School in Washington, DC combined their creative powers and insight to decorate a figurine representing American culture. Under the guidance and direction of art teacher Kyu-Jin Lee, the students carefully chose ideals, historical figures and symbols that best represented the uniqueness of American culture. Both traditional and modern symbols were equally represented in the figurine. America's national bird, the bald eagle, was painted on the figurine's chest to symbolize strength and power. The fall of the Twin Towers in New York City in September 2001 has made such an impact on students' lives, changing their views on the world and forcing them to reevaluate American values, that the students felt necessary to paint a skyscape of Manhattan with dotted lines to represent the location where the towers once stood. The greatest athletes of all times, such as Muhammed Ali and Mia Hamm, and pioneers such as Samuel F. B. Morse and Alexander Graham Bell were added to the figurine to portray the athletic and intellectual achievements of Americans.

One interesting discussion Ms. Lee's seventh graders had revolved around the figurine's face. Some students thought the face was "too Caucasian," and did not reflect the multicultural, mixed-race melting pot that America represented. They suggested altering the face to make it less Caucasian. The seventh-graders took a vote to decide whether the face should be altered or left alone. Fourteen of twenty students voted to alter the figurine's face; the face was then covered with plaster strips to give a more diverse, multicultural feeling.

When the figurine is finished, it will be shipped to Munich, where it will be displayed in Galeria Kaufhof with 19 other figurines. Visitors from all over the world will be able to see American culture through the eyes of the students. After the exhibition, the figurines will travel to various German cities. Visit www.icaf.org/munich/ for more information.

Soo Kim, a Yale University graduate, is an ICAF volunteer.