The 26-year-old Philadelphia Mural Arts Program is the largest such initiative in the country. Hidden on a parking lot wall behind City Hall in downtown Philadelphia is a mural of flowers and vegetables representing the mission of the Pennsylvania Horticultural. Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
The project "My North Philly: Kensington" mural was inspired by oral histories and community discussion groups about the experiences of growing up in that area. : Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
With a depiction in hand a muralist creates the grid for a mural, part of the project "My North Philly: Kensington." Now known as the “City of Murals,” Philadelphia boasts public art works on 3,000 walls. Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
Donna Gallagher and her daughter check out a few finished tiles at a tile workshop. "My North Philly: Kensington" was a three-year project that produced eight murals. Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
The mural painting process brings neighbors out of their homes to engage with each other. Community members become invested in their murals, and they take great pride in keeping the walls graffiti-free. Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
A girl paints one of the many tiles that will be incorporated into the mural. Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program has spawned several related projects, including art education and youth development programs. All murals require input and commitment from people in the local community. Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
A group of boys and their grandmother from the Kensington neighborhood in North Philadelphia gather to paint a mural. Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
A detail of the mural shows the tiles made by community members. Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
A wide angle view of the same mural. Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
A man sits on a fence in front of “The Promise Land" mural. Murals are now part of the city’s tourism industry. Walking, bus, and bicycle tours are available to view the public artworks. Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
Former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo stares down at two women walking in South Philadelphia near the popular Italian Market on 9th Street. Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
A mural of hands and flowers covers Mai's Nail Salon at 39th and Haverford Avenue in West Philadelphia. Sabina Louise Pierce / Special to the Christian Science Monitor
Freedom for Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni was a cause célèbre among dissidents and human rights groups critical of the Chávez regime. Venezuela conditionally released her after three years in detention.
Jailed Judge Maria Lourdes Afiuni, often referred to as “Hugo Chávez’s political prisoner,” was freed on Friday after spending more than three years in detention. Following petitions from international bodies and human rights groups, the court decision immediately ignited social media networks, with many celebrating the release as a victory for human rights and Venezuela's political opposition.
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