Amazing things happen, even when totally-not-amazing circumstances take place all around you.

People make amazing things happen.

This is one of those moments. Let us celebrate it!

Six Syrian artists have set a 2014 Guinness World Record. Using scraps from the streets of war-ravaged Damascus, in January they built the largest mural made from recycled material, beautifying the area outside a primary school in Syria’s capital.

photo © LOUAI BESHARA/AFP / Getty Images

It took them six months to finish it. Guinness announced the win on Facebook on March 26.

photo © LOUAI BESHARA/AFP / Getty Images

Artists working on the project had a message to send. The message was:

“Damascus is wounded and sad… and creating something beautiful from rubbish means that we can rebuild despite the destruction.”