To mark the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Ai Weiwei has created a flag for Fly the Flag to celebrate universal human rights. The flag was commissioned to raise awareness of human rights across the UK and the world and show that human rights are for everyone.
At Art Breath we are very proud to be flying the flag alongside many wonderful people, institutions and organisations and highlight human rights and the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
All this week we shall be posting clips and images of people flying the flag and telling us what human rights means to them, as well as writing their thoughts on pieces of fabric which we shall then we sewing together to create a flag. So keep on checking our website and social media for updates!
We also had a fantastic art activity with teachers and children of the ASFAL: Arabic School for Arts and Language. Images will be posted soon.
There are amazing initiatives and events by art organisations, human rights charities and institutions going on this week to celebrate that human rights are for everyone! check them out on www.FlyTheFlag.org.uk
Saturday 22nd June
Art session on Human Rights.
We held an art activity with the children and teachers of ASFAL (Arabic School of Art and Language) : after explaining what human rights are, showing and telling them about the Ai Weiwei flag for Fly the Flag and reading all together the simplified version of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the children drew and expressed themselves in art on the question and exploration of what does Human Rights mean to you?
The children highlighted through their art, equality, love all, a world of love, freedom of expression, access to food for everyone, to not discriminate, a fair and free world, democracy, peace and that all humams are equal no matter what.
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With the teachers from ASFAL who were with us during the art activity, flying the flag and supporting human rights. Clockwise: Nisrine, Ouma and Hala, thank you!
With all the teachers of ASFAL supporting human rights and flying the Fly the Flag by Ai Weiwei.
clockwise: Nisrine, Mariam, Ouma, Hala, Diana, Najwa thank you!
the simplified version of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (source: Fly the Flag)
Close ups of some of the children's amazing artworks based on their expressions and thoughts and on the simplified version of the 30 Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
Monday 24th June
This morning at Sommerset House for the Fly The Flag launch to Stand Up For Human Rights and come together to make a fairer and better world! ✌️☮️
This launch is to celebrate the start of the Fly The Flag, Fuel Theatre, The Cogency week and to protect our #HumanRights
The Flag is created by Ai Weiwei and represents the footsteps that refugees were forced to take barefoot in the snow to survive.
It is important to protect everyone’s human rights which comes from our natural rights so this should not even be something that is questioned! But unfortunately injustices are occurring around the world. Still to this day!
Read the 30 articles from the Universal Declaration of HumanRights and pass them on and unite for a fairer world with more empathy and care.
Below are some pictures and videos of this morning with 15 women singing articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, set to music by Paul Clark, co-Artistic Director of Clod Ensemble. The song was originally written in 2008 for the Red Ladies – a chorus of identically dressed women who champion freedom of expression and love. Also performed is a protest song “Bread & Roses” with new lyrics by Michael Morpurgo.
Monday 24th-Sunday 30th June
It's Fly The Flag week❣️
Art Breath is proud to be flying the flag created by Ai Weiwei ✨
It is a flag that symbolises human rights for all, showcasing footprints that represents the struggles that refugees have to endure, such as walking barefoot in the snow to survive. Many organisations, charities, people, institutions are flying the flag and doing amazing activities throughout the week to highlight our human rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Read the 30 articles and pass them on and unite for a fairer world with more empathy and care✨✌️☮️
Monday 24th June afternoon
We visited SOAS and flew the flag of Fly The Flag created by Ai Weiwei with the SOAS team
Art Breath x SOAS picture
Flying the flag witth Harris and Amy from the SOAS Alumni Team and the International SOAS Development Team
Monday 24th-Sunday 30th June
What do Human Rights mean to you?
We asked a couple of people to tell us spontaneously what Human Rights mean to them. To express what comes to their minds straight away when they think of Human Rights. We caught up with everyone at varied locations throughout their busy day. Check out below their responses and have a think about what does Human Rights mean to you?
Furthermore, we asked people to write a word or sentence on pieces of fabric that expresses what Human Rights means to them or that reflects the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These pieces of fabric will be sewn together to create a flag of words in unity to stand up for human rights.
H.E Rami Mortada, Ambassador of Lebanon to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, on what Human Rights means to him
H.E Ambassador Rami Mortada sharing with us his thoughts on Human Rights and writing them on a piece of fabric that will form part of a Flag of Words of Human Rights.
Dr Ghazi Youssef, member of the Lebanese Parliament and of the Finance & Budget Parliamentary Committee, on Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and on what Human Rights means to him.
Dr Ghazi Youssef writing his thoughts on what Human Rights means to him. This piece of fabric will form part of a Flag of Words of Human Rights.
H.E Nabil de Freige, former Minister of State for Administrative Reform in Lebanon on Human Rights for all.
Shevanne Helmer, founder of Helmer bags and the Nelson Mandela Foundation Exclusive Partner and of the Nelson Mandela Walk a Mile, on respect for Humanity.
Shevanne helmer writing the word respect, reflecting the fact that we should all respect each other and not discriminate. This piece of fabric will form part of a Flag of Words of Human Rights.
Catriona Alderton, artist and art therapist for Street Talk, Tobias Art School and the Prince's Trust on the right to feel and say what you feel like.
Catriona Alderton writing her thoughts on Human Rights, that will be part of the Flag of Words on Human Rights.
James Watt CVO, British diplomat and former Ambassador to Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt on Human Rights and a society that we want to live in that embraces everyone.
Saturday 29th June -Sunday 30th June
Sewing the pieces of fabric together to craete a Flag of Words of Human Rights:
To highlight Universal Declaration of Human Rights to Stand Up For Human Rights. for Fly The Flag week of Human Rights we have created a #flag made up of different pieces of fabric with people’s words, thoughts and expressions on what human rights means to them or of expressions that reflect a fairer world .These pieces will be sewn together.
Yes action is called for. And also through tools of art and words we can connect all together, empathise with one another, see each other’s perspectives and spread the message of care for one another and justice .Furthermore we don’t all know our human rights and though some may say they are culturally relative, if we look at the committee who drafted the laws of human rights, it was a very international one and furthermore these 30 articles stem from our Natural Rights, they exist and belong to us anyhow, just from our existence. But since the world can be unfair and unjust, it is important for us all to know our human rights, to have them ingrained in articles and often laws, to understand them and to proclaim them. Unite✌️☮️
Shevanne Helmer Catriona Alderton
H.E Rami Mortada Dr Ghazi Youssef H.E Nabil de Freige
Abdul Hallim, antique dealer, Ambassador of Peace and volunteer working with Musicare and the Red Cross, to help refugees settle in, writing about Human Rights for thr Flag of Words on Human Rights.
It's the 'Kind' in Humankind! Rehana Mughal of the British Council highlighting kindness as an attribute that can bring us together. This piece of fabric will form part of the Flag of Words of Human Rights to highlight the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
With Rehana Mughal
Sunday 30th June
On the last day of Fly the Flag week, we have the finished Flag of Words on Human Rights made up of people's thoughts and expressions and on words from the 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
