The Peace Lab: Kite Making Workshops were hosted at the Pame Kaimakli Festival 2022 and took place at the Cultural Centre ‘Oi Myloi’ from July 5th to July 8th 2022. The workshops were realised in collaboration with the Japanese Art Collective OBI, the kite making artisan Michiyoshi Yamamiya from Niigata* Japan, a city world famous for its kite making traditions and the kite technicians Demetris Karageorgis and Tasos Michaelides.
During the 4 day – fully booked, free of charge and successful – workshops, citizens were invited to learn how to create traditional kites inspired by the Japanese Culture; through the guidance of the instructors.
Participants were invited to fly their 100 in total kites across both sides of Kaimakli in an effort to create common skies over the divided neighbourhood.
**Further info:
The project’s inspiration originates from Shirone Kite Festival happening every year in Niigata prefecture, where residents are engaged in a celebration of peace, creatively and optimistically responding to a misfortunate event dating back in 1800. We would like to use the idea of “kite battle” to address the ongoing division of our island and to share and exchange with invited artists from Japan ideas about peacemaking through socially engaged practises as experienced in Japanese culture.
The Peace Lab: Kite Making Workshops were funded by:
The Cultural Services of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth
The Japan World Exposition 1970 Commemorative Fund – JEC
The Peace Lab: Kite Making Workshops were supported by:
The Nicosia Municipality
The Nicosia Tourist Board, Engage Nicosia
The Embassy of Japan in Cyprus
Photo credits: Ioanna Economidou
