Last year, we asked Alejandro Escobar (7 years old) from Venezuela to provide a painting for the European Lawyers Foundation Christmas card. His painting reflected the hopes of a child through the difficulties his country was (and is) going through.

This year, we have asked another young artist (Ottilie Taylor, 5 years old) to design the 2020 Christmas card. The watercolour painting below shows how a child understands this difficult 2020: a group of Christmas penguins that are walking (hence the black footprints) on an almost melted (orange) snow. Above them, it is not the sun that has managed to melt the snow, but a fierce and big representation of Covid-19.

Even if the painting represents the challenges the world is facing (pandemic and climate change), the penguins do not give up and are ready to celebrate Christmas. With her picture, Ottilie sends a clear message to all of us: that we need to stand up and face these challenges as a group and without losing hope. And lawyers have an important role to play in this!

Season’s greetings from the European Lawyers Foundation!