Finally both Lastplakkers are back from the worlds oldest city, Damascus. They spent a total of three weeks there teaching the basics of graffiti and history, culture and techniques we're quickly adopted by the almost 25 students. Finding the right paint was the only obstacle. Since there's no graffiti scene in Syria, the only available paint was either WIN from Thailand, or Bosny, a brand that qualified itself as 'English Industry'. To make things worse, the cap system was 'male' instead of the common 'female', but we managed.

The whole project was organised by the Greek Orthodox Church of Syria and was guided by the UNDP, AllArtNow and the Dutch Embassy. Students received training in sexuall education and we're tought to use art as a communicative form, of wich graffiti was one. After one day of trying techniques and sketching we divided the group in pairs of two and gave each a board to produce their final work on. The results we're surprisingly good, both technical and conceptual and most important; all students had a lot of fun.

Both Sterf and Oles have developed a big heart for Syria and can be found walking the streets listening to the sounds of George Wassouf, eating falafel and drinking pomme granate juice per liter. Shokran Syria!