Background information

In the book “The Tree of Life – the World through the Eyes of Children” Sylvia Lindström tells us about the unbelievable experience she had from the collecting of children’s drawings done by children all over the world – from every continent. An experience which she, the then chairperson of the Save the Children Sweden local branch, Danderyd, called:

“My Great Adventure with
the Children of the World.”

Sylvia Lindström got the idea for the theme “The Tree of Life” while visiting the National Museum (Museo Nazionale) in Rome in 1969. The beautiful frescos in Livia’s villa, especially of a tree weighed down by ripe oranges against a turquoise blue background, inspired her to find out what the Tree of Life really meant for the children of today. She began her search in her home community of Danderyd, she applied for and was given two enormous Tree of Life wall hangings: A Tree to Play in – a wall hanging done by a group of 11 and 12 year olds from The Church School (Kyrkskolan). In one of them, the heads of children, representing all the different races of the world, look down from the leaves (made of felt) like ripe fruit. The other wall hanging, also a group project, but of a slightly different nature: young patients from the child psychiatric clinic at Dandyrd’s Hospital, had made imprints of their feet, hands and mouths and created the trunk and branches of a Tree of Life as well as leaves and small red flowers.

Several hundred new drawings and paintings from about 70 countries poured in - collected by Save the Children Sweden offices and Swedish Embassies around the world - captivatingly beautiful pictures – trees to swing in, to rest under, trees symbolising security where the trunk is the parents or God, Christ or Buddha – all symbols for love and goodness.

But many – all too many in fact - are frightening documentations of feelings of insecurity – children touched by war and armed conflict, as refugees, depictions of unbelievably cruel and meaningless violence where black birds in the sky release bombs, kill, create fear and terror - trees in flames, trees that bleed and die. Nevertheless, what is depicted most, all over the world, is the plea of children for peace on earth. Strong evidence of how children of our time live and think grew from this abundant assortment of pictures. It became more and more apparent for Ms. Lindström that it was her duty to pass this message on to others. And that is what happened.

Fresco, Livia’s villa.

Wall hanging done by a group of 11 and 12 year olds from The Church School (Kyrkskolan).


Wall hanging done by young patients from the child psychiatric clinic at Dandyrd’s Hospital