Why Fly With Me?
An epic kite-flying festival in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, Fly With Me calls on the world to #RememberAfghanistan and to come together to celebrate and preserve Afghan culture - a culture that is once again under threat.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN AFGHANISTAN NOW?
Afghanistan is experiencing one of the most devastating humanitarian crises in the world. More than 23 million people - over half the population - face acute hunger. 97% of Afghanistan's population are now experiencing or on the cusp of living in poverty.
The economy is in crisis: foreign aid has been withdrawn, salaries cannot be paid, there is an acute lack of access to medical supplies and livelihood opportunities.
The rights of women and girls in particular are being eroded every day - older girls are forbidden to access education, women restricted from most employment, and women must now cover their faces in public and should be accompanied by a male relative at all times outside the home.
WHY ARE WE FLYING KITES AS A RESPONSE TO THIS?
Kite flying is one of the world’s earliest art forms - there are depictions of kites in cave paintings in Indonesia which are 40,000 years old. In Afghanistan, kites occupy a unique space between national art form and national sport. For 800 years, they have been seen as a universal symbol of expression, skill and cultural pride.
But the last time the Taliban ruled Afghanistan, kites were banned - along with music, free journalism, theatre and dancing. With the Taliban returning to power in 2021, freedom of expression is under attack yet again.
By making and flying kites in the Afghan tradition, led by Afghans who have made new lives in Europe, and open to all, we will be standing in solidarity with Afghans in the latest affront to their freedom.
WHAT HAS THE UK GOVERNMENT’S RESPONSE BEEN?
Afghanistan’s capital city, Kabul, was captured by the Taliban on 15 August 2021. In the aftermath of the invasion, amidst a huge show of compassion from the British public, the UK government evacuated over 16,000 people from the country, many of whom worked for the UK in Afghanistan, and committed to resettling a further 5,000 in the following year.
12 months on, both resettlement schemes set up by the government are completely dysfunctional, there are no safe routes available for Afghans, and people fleeing the Taliban and arriving to the UK by boat are now being threatened with deportation to Rwanda. The UK’s current asylum system has:
Slashed number of Afghans allowed into UK
Stalled the Afghan Resettlement scheme
Kept 12,000 Afghan refugees in the UK in segregated temporary accommodation
Recently, public and government attention has rightly been given to Ukraine and support is being provided to Ukrainian refugees. At Fly With Me, we call for this same support and welcome to be extended to all people seeking safety in the UK, including those from Afghanistan.
On 20th August 2022, thousands of people across the country will raise their kites and be part of a movement to give Afghan refugees the welcome they deserve. We want this call for compassion mirrored in the way we treat people in our asylum system.
TAKE ACTION
We believe, like most people in the UK, that whatever your background or postcode, religion or race, we all deserve to live peacefully and free from harm. If you agree, will you take action to support Afghan refugees?
IF YOU HAVE 1 MINUTE:
Take the pledge and write to your MP to call for equal treatment for all people seeking asylum in the UK. You can find the Refugee Action email template here.
IF YOU HAVE 3 MINUTES:
Women and their children are bearing the brunt of the crisis. You can donate to Afghan Aid to ensure Afghan women are able to meet their basic needs, provide for their families and fulfil their potential.
