This competition and exhibition were established to commemorate child victims from the Czech village of Lidice, murdered by Germans, and all other children who have died in wars.
The International Children's Exhibition of Fine Arts Lidice has been taking place in our country regularly since the end of the 1960's and is well known not only among Czech children and teachers, but literally all over the world as thousands of children from all continents participate in it every year.
Until 1972, it had been a national competition, then, it changed its statute and became an international exhibition. We are pleased to say that this exhibition is mentioned by the renowned quarterly "Child Art" (Magazine of the International Child Art Foundation), issued by the Washington-based ICAF (International Child Art Foundation), as one of the most significant exhibitions beside exhibitions in Israel, France, Ireland, the U.S.A. and others.
Visitors to this - nowadays worldwide famous - exhibition can every year admire good-quality works of fine art by children from all types of schools from more than 70 countries all over the world, including such exotic places as Bangladesh, the Philippines, Kenya, the Seychelles, Zimbabwe, etc. Children present here their works made by the use of any fine art technique such as painting, drawing, graphics, ceramics, textile, wood carving, objects made of metal and paper, marionettes, toys as well as photographs.
The invitation to participate in the exhibition is propagated through schools and abroad it is distributed by representation bodies of the Czech government. Every year, approximately 15,000 works from both the Czech Republic and abroad are submitted to the exhibition and a panel of expert judges selects exhibits for the main exhibition of the current edition.
The main subject-matters include anything that is the closest for children, that surrounds their world, that annoys or - on the contrary - pleases them: their hobbies, dreams, wishes, and the environment in which they live, their school, family, friends, games. Moreover, subject-matters for eligible works are every year assigned in connection to those announced by the UN and UNESCO.
Works are awarded an honourable mention and the best of them gain the "Rose of Lidice" commemorative medal and diploma.
After the main exhibition is finished, it is regularly mounted in a number of places in our country as well as abroad - especially in our Czech Centres. In addition, the most successful works by children from the Czech Republic are submitted to participate in joint exhibitions of children's works of fine art all over the world.
Throughout its existence, our exhibition has received a considerable response from abroad which is proven by the numerous participation of children. Today, it is a renowned event in the Czech Republic, as well as in a number of other countries.
The exhibition and competition are announced and organised by the Lidice Memorial and supported by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, and the Czech Commission for UNESCO.

We kindly invite you, children, to take part in this interesting competition and beautiful exhibition.