Britain marks one year since Taliban takeover with Afghan kite-flying festival
- In London, as well as other cities in the UK and across the world, Afghan kite-flying, music, poetry and dance were showcased to show solidarity with the country’s people
- Funds raised will go to Afghanaid and its By Her Side campaign to support women in rural Afghan communities
Crowds gathered across the UK on Saturday to celebrate the Afghan craft of kite-flying through a multi-city festival, one year since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
In London, as well as other cities in the country and across the world, Afghan kite-flying, music, poetry and dance were showcased to show solidarity with the country’s people.
The project came from Good Chance Theatre, creators of The Walk With Amal, in which a giant puppet of a child refugee walked from the Turkish-Syrian border to Manchester.
It was developed with master Afghan kite-maker and refugee Sanjar Qiam, who founded a toy shop in Brighton, and Afghanistan-born actor and director Elham Ehsas and Afghan musician Elaha Soroor.
Funds raised will go to Afghanaid and its By Her Side campaign to support women in rural Afghan communities. Among those at Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath was Nawab Stanikzai, 53, a doctor from Jalalabad – alongside his three children Jawad, Safina and Sana.
Mr Stanikzai came to the UK as a refugee with his family after the Taliban’s takeover last year, and is now living in Islington, north London.
He said the fall of the country was “terrible, like doomsday, but luckily we made it here” and that he wanted to take his children to witness the kite-flying and Afghan music on Parliament Hill.