This event takes place at Platt Fields Park, Fallowfield, Manchester, M14 6LA
To mark one year since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, Good Chance Theatre (creators of The Jungle and The Walk with Amal) will launch Fly With Me, an immersive, multi-city kite flying festival presented by Afghan artists, actors and sportspeople.
Spread across 16 locations in the UK and Europe, Fly With Me celebrates the ancient Afghan craft of kite-flying in an aerial act of solidarity with the people of Afghanistan. The artform, alongside music, theatre and dance, were previously banned by the Taliban during their occupation of the country.
Manchester International Festival, in partnership with HOME and Community Arts North West, are leading the Manchester event which will take place on Sat 20 Aug at Platt Fields Park.
The event will consist of two kite making workshops at Platt Hall and Holy Trinity Platt Church with a focus on engaging communities in the local area (one specifically for Refugees and Asylum Seekers, one for everybody), led by facilitators Hadisa Afzaly and Bushra Sultana. Kites created by other Afghan workshop groups from around Manchester, and a few examples of beautiful professional kites, will also be displayed around the site.
Other workshops with Afghan groups around Manchester will take place earlier during the week of the event.
From 13.30 kite-maker participants and the general public will be invited to meet in front of Platt Hall in the North East corner of the park with their kites, before processing around the park from 14.00.
At the end point of the procession the audience will gather to watch a kite demonstration on the open grass area where the cricket pitch is located, before joining in the kite flying themselves.
Image Credit: Alice Denny