Children in the Philippines, on the island of Mindanao, fly kites as part of the Kites for Peace movement. Kites for Peace is an artistic response to the tragedy of children being harmed, killed, and recruited for violence in war-afflicted areas. It began as a statement for the children who died in Gaza in July 2014 during a Hamas/Israel clash. Along with its success in the Philippines, Kites for Peace has been replicated in several other countries already.
Sarah Queblatin, of Maia Earth Village Cooperation Circle and Mandala Earth Story Project Cooperation Circle, started the Kites for Peace initiative in the Philippines. She hopes it will infuse the peacebuilding process with more energy and power: “In partnership with the Department of Education and the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao government, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, this gathering is a symbolic action by the children to move the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law forward, which is an integral component of the Peace Agreement between the Philippine Government and the Moro Islamic Front after 17 years of negotiations and decades of armed conflict.”
In the photo above, the children fly kites on Universal Children's Day, which is a day set aside by the United Nations “as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children” and to promote children’s welfare around the world.
Learn more about Kites for Peace through this .pdf brochure.
