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Colour on Our Streets

Watching the classic 1956 film The Red Balloon by French filmmaker Albert Lamorisse made the group reflect on friendship, loneliness and their everyday spaces. 

The children spoke and drew for their ‘best friends’. One had left his ‘best friend’ behind in Afghanistan, while some had carefully nurtured new friendships. Some were hesitant to give such a meaningful title to anyone at all, while one boy gladly announced the 20 or so ‘best friends’ he had.

Then, on black and white photographs of their everyday spaces in Khirkee, they added colour in the shape of their friends, imagined as flowers, footballs, cars, kites, balloons and even Thor’s hammer, as seen in a popular film. 

They filled the still images with movement and life, reflecting and celebrating resilience and playfulness.

The thing I drew is a magical hammer. I saw it in many magical cartoons that the hammer was lifting itself and was thrown on somebody.

Thor’s Hammer by Edris

The thing I drew is a magical hammer. I saw it in many magical cartoons that the hammer was lifting itself and was thrown on somebody.

© Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan

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We were supposed to draw only one object for our friends but as I love my friends so much I drew three objects. One kite as he is a kite runner, second the blue flower because he loves the blue colour and I made the flower blue as it is the best gift if you want to give to someone. Third is basketball because he loves basketball so much!

Friendship by Samim

We were supposed to draw only one object for our friends but as I love my friends so much I drew three objects. One kite as he is a kite runner, second the blue flower because he loves the blue colour and I made the flower blue as it is the best gift if you want to give to someone. Third is basketball because he loves basketball so much!

© Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan

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If I was supposed to give my friend a gift I would give her a red balloon because we always play together with red balloons.

The Red Balloon by Khal Mohammad

If I was supposed to give my friend a gift I would give her a red balloon because we always play together with red balloons.

© Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan

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I drew a kite because I love to be a kite runner and fly the kite from the roof

Kite Runner by Lovekush

I drew a kite because I love to be a kite runner and fly the kite from the roof

© Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan

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I want to go up with colourful balloons and show the world my colourful imaginations

Colourful Imagination by Sodaba

I want to go up with colourful balloons and show the world my colourful imaginations

© Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan

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If I were supposed to draw one object for my friend, I would draw one taxi and a red balloon to go to my friend’s house and gift her the red balloon

The Yellow Taxi by Sediqa

If I were supposed to draw one object for my friend, I would draw one taxi and a red balloon to go to my friend’s house and gift her the red balloon

© Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan

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A doll with a purple dress and heart shaped red balloons would be the thing I would give to my friends. Because she loves the purple colour and always plays with dolls and balloons.

The Purple Dress by Labina

A doll with a purple dress and heart shaped red balloons would be the thing I would give to my friends. Because she loves the purple colour and always plays with dolls and balloons.

© Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan

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An image from the exhibition of artwork created by the children in the Simurgh Children’s Workshops, showing their collective efforts from this session

Our Streets

An image from the exhibition of artwork created by the children in the Simurgh Children’s Workshops, showing their collective efforts from this session

© Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan

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