CONNECTING COMMUNITIES

FLY WITH ME

Good Chance teamed up with Afghan artists and over 70 partners across the world to present a festival of solidarity filled with Afghan kite-flying, music, poetry and dance.

“I was never allowed to fly kites in Afghanistan, because I was a girl - this is the first time I've flown a kite. It gives me such a good feeling to experience the ancient culture of Afghanistan.”

- Fly With Me participant

An international kite flying festival in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan.

On August 15th 2022, to mark one-year since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, we launched an immersive, international kite flying festival presented by Afghan artists, actors and sportspeople.

Spread across 47 locations in the UK, Europe and North America, Fly With Me celebrated 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, have been banned by the Taliban during their occupation of the country. See the full press coverage here.

Afghan culture is STILL under attack.

In the two years since the Taliban seized control of the country, they have banned music, theatre, dance, and denied many rights and freedoms to women and girls, including making it illegal for women to attend university indefinitely.

From 15th - 20th August 2023, we invited people across the world to raise a kite with us and share their videos and photos over social media by tagging @GoodChanceTheatre and using the hashtag #FlyWithMe.

Together we celebrated and helped to preserve Afghan culture through the simple, joyful act of kite flying, and sent a message to the world that can’t be ignored, ‘Remember Afghanistan’.

Why Fly With Me?

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Afghanistan is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world right now. Despite promises to support people fleeing the Taliban in 2021, the Home Office has since slashed the number of Afghan refugees allowed into the UK, the Afghan Resettlement Scheme has closed, and thousands of Afghan refugees evacuated in August 2021 are now being evicted from their accommodation. We believe people seeking safety deserve much better than this. If you agree, please take action today.

Take the Fly With Me Pledge

Fly With Me took place in 47 cities and towns across the UK, Europe and America.

And was created in partnership with our friends at Heath Hands · Allianz Kulturstiftung · Bercy Beaucoup · National Literacy Trust Bradford · Danish Hazara Association (DAHAF) · Future Foundry · Kent Refugee Action Network · Samphire · Creative Folkestone · Folkestone Fringe · Citizens Theatre · Manchester International Festival · HOME Manchester · Community Arts North West · Community Arts Network, plus 33 further dedicated and passionate arts, humanitarian, civil society and religious partners around the world.

Fly a Kite with us!

7,500+ PEOPLE FLEW KITES OF SOLIDARITY WITH US IN 2022…

and you still can! Learn how to make an authentic Afghan kite with master kite-maker Sanjar Qiam and fly it on a hill, a park or the town centre near you. Ingredients include just a few wooden skewers, some tissue paper and string, and a big dollop of creativity and connection (metaphorical as well as real glue!). To find out more and download your instructions / tips CLICK HERE.

“During my lifetime, my country’s flag’s colours have been painted, wiped, repainted then wiped again 15 times. But we have always flown kites.”

- Elham Ehsas, Fly With Me creative lead

Over 30 people from Afghanistan were employed in paid roles within the core creative and producing team, many of whom fled the country in August 2021 in the evacuations, and over 50 Afghan artists worked in paid roles worldwide.

Special thanks go to the leaders of the project: master kite-maker Sanjar Qiam; Afghan actor, storyteller and director Elham Ehsas (Yellow, The Kite Runner, Homeland); Afghan musician and creative consultant Elaha Soroor; and Good Chance Producer’s Dina Mousawi and Emily Webb.