Welcoming the World - exploring the cultural landscapes of where young people live.
On 4 July 2008, over 450 school pupils from the 5 London Olympic boroughs (Greenwich, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Newham and Waltham Forest) joined forces at the Hangar in Woolwich, to celebrate their involvement in ‘Welcoming the World’, a Creative Partnerships London East and South, and London 2012 education project exploring the cultural landscapes of where young people live.
The celebration event, which took part during Shine Week (the new national festival celebrating the talent in all young people) included activities such as watching and reviewing the films produced, writing and drawing on postcards to be sent to International Inspiration schools in Azerbaijan, Brazil, India and Zambia and Palau, learning acro-balance and juggling skills and exploring ideas about how to celebrate Paralympic Handover.
‘Welcoming the World’ was designed to encourage young photo-journalists, film-makers and music-makers from schools across the five host boroughs to document their local areas to showcase to the rest of the world. It is an important first step towards empowering young people to understand their local and regional community, and to reach out to young people internationally - sharing their values and thoughts and starting an invaluable dialogue.
The project began in February, and had two elements: ‘My World’ (a photography and music project), and ‘Our World’ (a film and music project). The schools have worked with leading experts in film, photography and music including photo-journalist Gideon Mendel, film director Pratibha Parmar and music director Mike Dixon.
Funded by Creative Partnerships London East & South and Arts Council England and delivered in conjunction with the Five Host Borough Education leads for 2012 Games, this pilot education project is an important early strand of the London 2012 Education Programme which is about inspiring young people to join in, capturing their imaginations, helping them realise their potential in whatever context that may be.
The four-year London 2012’s UK wide Education Programme will launch in the autumn with nationwide in-school activity designed to celebrate Paralympic Handover on 17 September.
Steve Moffitt, Director, Creative Partnerships London East and South said: ‘Creative Partnerships is pleased to be working with LOCOG to explore ways in which schools can engage with the exciting opportunity that London hosting the 2012 Games presents. The project has brought increased understanding of where pupils live, creating and building upon friendships between young people who come from all over the world.’
Creative Partnerships London East and South were established as two of the first 16 Creative Partnerships areas in 2002, delivering programmes in schools in Hackney, Islington, Newham and Tower Hamlets (East) and Greenwich, Lewisham, Lambeth and Southwark over a four-year period. In April 2006 the two areas merged to form one Creative Partnerships area delivering a joint creative programme in eight boroughs. On 1 October 2008, the three Creative Partnerships teams in London will come together to form a new independent organisation delivering three new schools programmes in the capital.
