This May, 2005, 10,000 KITES
will say for Palestinians and Jews, the sky is the limit.
We can choose to free ourselves, our imaginations.
See the inspiring streaming video at http://www.10000kites.org/pictures/video.htm
.
On Friday, May 20, 2005, tens of
thousands of colored kites will soar up into the
Holding the strings will be Jews, Muslims, Christians,
and secular -- feet on the ground, eyes on the heavens.
Around each kite will be even more women and men, boys
and girls.
Some anticipate that over 30,000 kites will fly.
This massive demonstration will be dedicated to
advancing the cultural and social dialogue.
It is a symbol of bridging the gap and understanding
"the other side."
Middle
East site -- in Arabic, Hebrew, and English: http://www.talkingkites.org.il
North American site: http://www.10000kites.org
Photos and artists renditions: http://www.drachen.org/special_events_10000kites.html
Learn to make your kite and fly
it: http://www.drachen.org/about_kites.html
PLANNED EVENTS (more coming):
http://www.10000kites.org/events.html
Here are two exemplary newspaper
stories about preceding kite-flyings:
BACKGROUND
The idea for the project began with one small boy
flying a kite at the Separation Wall.
This innocent scene inspired two artists, Adi Yekutieli and George Nostas, to create an international project based on the
innocent act of flying kites as an expression of principles, of hopes and of
dreams.
On the day of the happening -- or perhaps an
approximate day, for others in the world -- organized groups and private
individuals, a wide spectrum of groups, religious and secular, adults and
children, Israelis and Palestinians, citizens of the wide world, will come
together.
Each person will hold aloft a kite which s/he has
decorated, as a symbol of dialogue, brotherhood and understanding of "the
other side."
Each participant will be flying a kite with his/her
thoughts, fears, dreams and hopes -- the values he/she believes in.
10,000 KITES is the initiative of the artist Adi Yekutieli, the founder of the
Association for Art in the Community and Cross-cultural Dialog, described at:
Yekutieli, who
sees art as an invaluable means of communication and dialogue, has been
implementing his vision for many years in a wide variety of communities in
Israel and in the Palestinian Authority.
A large number of Jewish and Palestinian communities
have joined and supported this project with the goal of turning meaningful
rituals such as this one into a continuing tradition.
In such a long-standing and profound dispute, in a
reality so difficult and painful, parallel to the words and deeds of the
politicians, can we not "learn" the other side,
can we not hear and be heard in a common hope for a better future?
SYMBOLISM of kite flying -- helping people move above and
beyond
Symbols can have a power that helps people rise
above old thinking and barriers, and beyond stereotypes, fear, and ignorance.
"What do kites and flying them symbolize to
you?" was the question posed last week to Palestinian and Jewish
participants in sustained Living Room Dialogue on the San Francisco Peninsula.
They responses were almost all about FREEDOM.
Here is what they said about flying kites for the
FREEDOM
from:
fear
walls
distance
separation
humiliation
oppression
entanglements
misuse of
power
violence
of all kinds
poverty of
imagination
prisons of body and spirit
FREEDOM
for:
ascending
to a better life together
viewing
life from above, as one
building
an independent state
inventing
a vibrant economy
overcoming
our hang-ups
becoming
loving humans
seeing the
sky is the limit
reaching
toward heaven
helping
others feel safe
listening
well to others
overcoming
distances
respecting
each other
universal
fun and play
creating
relationships
flying above
politics
being
above it all
rising to
our best
soaring
together
building
bridges
thinking
freely
being
present
being
equal
being
joy
Thanks to 10,000 KITES and
increasing citizen creativity and courage, we're
beginning to find ourselves and the "other."
Together, we are becoming always better, always more
human in changing times.