Raise money for Afghan skate school
Since its founding in 2007, Afghanistan’s first skateboarding school,
Skateistan, has played an important role in giving underprivileged kids
in Kabul a place to play and get an education. Now Nordic skateboarders
and other volunteers raise money to build a skate park in Kabul.
Updated:
(8.18.2009)
Skate day in Kabul.
Photo: Skateistan
|
On August 20th the skate park in Gamlebyen, Oslo, will be scene of a lively event, where Norwegian and international skateboarders and musicians will perform for free to raise money for the skateboarding school and their new skate park in Kabul.
- In a war-torn country like Afghanistan it is important to give the new generation positive impulses. Skateistan is a place where kids can be kids, and part of a community across differences in ethnicity, culture and gender, says Silje Vik Pedersen.
Vik Pedersen has been a development worker in Afghanistan for many years, and is one of the promoters behind the fundraiser in Norway. She thinks it is important to provide Afghan kids with a place to come and learn to skate, and adds that the school program also includes education and personal empowerment.
- Several of the current skating instructors at Skateistan used to live on the street, as is the case for many of the kids who attend Skateistan today. It is important to help the kids take control over their own lives, and give them the feeling that they can accomplish something. says Vik Pedersen.
Skating girls in Kabul.
Photo: Skateistan |
The fundraiser in Oslo also marks the start of an an art auction,
including work by up-and-coming Norwegian artists alongside
well-established names such as Pia Myrvold and Matias Faldbakken. All
the artists have donated art pieces that they have made especially for
this auction, which will be running until September 3rd.
In
March, a similar event was arranged in Copenhagen, Denmark. With
donations from 40 different artists, they managed to raise
approximately 50 000 US Dollars. On August 29th, Skateistan Sweden will
arrange their own fundraiser for the Skateistan skateboarding school.
This event will be held in the city of Linköping. |
| |
|
For more information about the fundraiser in Oslo, please visit the official website for the event:
http://www.ipath.no/skateistan-oslo-09/
See detailed information about the artwork at the auction, and place your bids at:
www.lauritz.com
Read more about the Kabul skateboarding school at the Skateistan homepage:
http://skateistan.org/
Print the article