Hello Friends!
On a bitter cold day in late March we held a kite flying event in solidarity with Afghan Peace Volunteers and Voices for Creative Nonviolence. The event was created to celebrate the Afghani tradition of kite flying as a means of ringing in Nowruz, the Afghan New Year that falls on the first day of spring. A handful of community members showed up and we each took turns flying kites. Lydia Bates addressed the small group and shared information about the culture of kite flying in Afghanistan and the drone strikes that terrorize that community.
One participant who came to this event was Albert Echt. Albert is a local kite enthusiast and expert. The kite he brought to fly was handmade and flew higher and longer than any other in the sky that day. Albert was able to coach participants in the art of kite flying which added to the joy at this event.
We are excited to announce that we are having another Fly Kites Not Drones event on August 2nd at the Waterfront Park in Burlington starting at 2pm. In preparation Albert will lead a Kite Making Workshop this Saturday (July 26th) directly following the PJC Kids’ Club at the Peace & Justice Center (60 Lake Street, Burlington). Both of these events will be family friendly. We will pass out literature on the reality of drones in the skies of Afghanistan to adults while sharing the history and the cultural significance of kites with participants of all ages. If you have questions please connect with me at 802-2345 x6 or kyle@pjcvt.org.
I know there is a lot happening in the neighborhood with the Ramble but I figured I would let folks know about these activities in case friends want to work them into Saturday's schedule. Here is what is happening at PJC Kids' Club this Saturday! Hope to see you out and about this weekend!
The PJC Kids Club continues July 26th from 2-4pm with celebrating Africa! Bring the kids for an afternoon of cultural acceptance, exploration, and fun! Francine Serwili-Ngunga will be sharing about her Rwandan culture through dance, story telling, and yummy sambusa making. Get the next stamps for your PJC passport and join us for this special afternoon at the Peace & Justice Center on Lake Street. Bring your sense of adventure to this event and to all Summer PJC Kids Club days: August 9th (Europe) and August 23rd (Asia)! This Summer Series is Free and open to all ages!
The focus of the Kids Club is on promoting peace, justice, and appreciation for cultural diversity through informal education and play. Through these four events we hope to increase the global awareness and the cultural acceptance in our young community members needed for them to engage in today's multicultural society. Family participation is encouraged to strengthen relationships and understanding not only between family members themselves, but also between members of different cultural identities with the Burlington community at large.