Across cities in the UK and Europe, a kite flying festival to mark a year since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban will raise awareness over the plight of Afghans fleeing the country in an “aerial act of solidarity”.
Organised by the producers behind the epic 8,000-kilometre European journey of the giant marionette, Little Amal, the Good Chance Theatre, the Fly With Me festival will also provide an opportunity to celebrate Afghan culture.
Spread across 15 locations in the UK and Europe on August 20, the festival includes storytelling and craft-making workshops featuring the country’s 800-year-old tradition of kite-flying alongside music, poetry and dance from Afghan artists and other community groups.
Feeling Afghan culture 'between our fingers'
British-Afghan kite maker, Sanjar Qiam, who developed Fly With Me, tells The National the festival is a chance for everyone to “feel between our fingers the strings that connect us to an incredible country”.
“In all cultures we have a way of formulating relationships and bonding with each other and engaging in crafts is one of the ways in Afghanistan where people socialise,” he says from his home in Brighton, where he set up a toy shop over a decade ago.
“It's something that you do with your little brother, little sister, with your neighbour, with your friend, with your uncle. It's a collective activity, it's a form of cultural art that brings everybody together. But it's also a craft and a sport, in a way. You build something very simple and then this simple thing does the amazing thing, which is flight.”
Mr Qiam wants to spread the meaningful joy that can be found with “some bamboo sticks and some paper material” across the UK.
Fly With Me, organised by Afghanaid, will raise funds for the development organisation's By Her Side match-funding campaign to support women in rural Afghan communities.
The London edition of the festival will take place on Parliament Hill on Hampstead Heath and Mr Qiam will be there to teach people how to make and fly kites.
Life lessons from the 'magic of flight'
It’s a skill he has honed since he flew his uncle’s giant kite as a child, returning home with bloody hands from the pull of the strings.
“I was so excited but my grandmother wasn’t very happy with that.” he laughs.
Mr Qiam took his fascination to the UK when he moved there as an entrepreneur in 2011, taking 10,000 kites with him.
“I may have overestimated British enthusiasm,” he says.
He also didn’t take into account the enthusiasm of the UK’s Border Customs controllers who, while boring holes in the shipping crates to look at what was inside them, did the same with his kites.
Mr Qiam shrugs off the ruin of his merchandise, which he went on to painstakingly repair, with the same peaceful acceptance he adopts with kite-flying.
“The thing is, you can make a very good kite and it will look fantastic but it won't fly. And it's the magic of flight and you have to deal with that disappointment. You have to be gracious in dealing with frustrations,” he tells The National.
“I guess it's one of the reasons that it's so popular in Afghan culture — because it relates to things that are very in contrast, it flies but it's also very unreliable.
“There is a serendipity in flying a kite, but then we also fight the kite. It's this duality that is prominent in all aspects of our culture. There have been wars for many years but on the other hand Afghans are quite peaceful people as well.”
Mr Qiam first arrived in the UK to study for a master's degree in Scotland in 2008. He returned to Afghanistan the following year and ran his own media company in Kabul before deciding to return to England in 2011 when Nato countries first began discussing the withdrawal of troops and he felt the “writing was on the wall”.
Decades of conflict and foreign occupations have seared Afghanistan in people’s minds as a country of violence and pain. But Mr Qiam, who runs kite-making workshops across the UK, wants Fly With Me to “communicate the Afghan culture” that often gets lost in the noise of news.
However, there can be little escape from the harrowing headlines on Afghanistan, particularly about those desperately trying to escape life under Taliban rule and a devastating humanitarian crisis.
'Unfair treatment of Afghan refugees painful'
About 12,000 Afghan refugees have arrived in the UK since the fall of Kabul, but the avenues for others seeking shelter in Britain remain few and far between. Critics say the UK government is failing in its obligation to help Afghans they once worked with and have left behind.
“I think the right way to look at it is that the British government is mistreating, endangering and not protecting people who are escaping persecution, and they are perfectly capable of implementing a meaningful policy, which they have done for the Ukrainians, and we want similar programmes to be in place to protect Afghans who are running from a brutal, totalitarian regime. I think that's the message we've got to get out there,” says Mr Qiam.
While he does not want to “pit one group of victims against another” he says there is a disparity with the Government’s policy towards people fleeing Ukraine.
While British-Ukrainians can sponsor their family members to come to the UK, Mr Qiam, who is a British national, is unable to sponsor, his parents who are currently sheltering in Pakistan.
He says the government has failed to live up to its promises to help people fleeing Afghanistan.
The difference in treatment is “hurtful”, says Mr Qiam, and while he recognises there is no easy solution to the global refugee crisis “sometimes there is a simple solution to it”.
“Help create a diasporic community that is meaningful and tied to the culture and support them and that will counterbalance the Taliban, who will ultimately be just another page in history,” he says.
As he sees it, protecting Afghanistan’s bright capable minds now will ensure the country’s prosperity in the future when a post-Taliban era comes.
Two talented members of the exiled community who will be performing at the Fly With Me festival are Afghan actor, storyteller and director Elham Ehsas and Afghan musician Elaha Soroor.
While raising awareness on the plight of Afghanistan and its refugees are at the fore of the festival, Mr Qiam says the main aim of the day is “to play games and have a good time”.
“At the same time we are going to bond, say a few things, and share our joy and our pain. It’s a way to bring everybody together and to have fun,” he said.
Fly With Me takes place on August 20 in Brighton, Bradford, Dover, Folkestone, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Northamptonshire, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Berlin, Pas-de-Calais, Paris and Copenhagen.
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
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The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
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Top financial tips for graduates
Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:
1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.
2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.
3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.
4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.
Emirates Cricket Board Women’s T10
ECB Hawks v ECB Falcons
Monday, April 6, 7.30pm, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The match will be broadcast live on the My Sports Eye Facebook page
Hawks
Coach: Chaitrali Kalgutkar
Squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Archara Supriya, Chamani Senevirathne, Chathurika Anand, Geethika Jyothis, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kashish Loungani, Khushi Sharma, Khushi Tanwar, Rinitha Rajith, Siddhi Pagarani, Siya Gokhale, Subha Srinivasan, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish
Falcons
Coach: Najeeb Amar
Squad: Kavisha Kumari (captain), Almaseera Jahangir, Annika Shivpuri, Archisha Mukherjee, Judit Cleetus, Ishani Senavirathne, Lavanya Keny, Mahika Gaur, Malavika Unnithan, Rishitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Shashini Kaluarachchi, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Vaishnave Mahesh
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
At Eternity’s Gate
Director: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaacs, Mads Mikkelsen
Three stars
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
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The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
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Cricket World Cup League Two
Teams
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
Fixtures
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Oman
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
PROFILE OF STARZPLAY
Date started: 2014
Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand
Number of employees: 125
Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners
Babumoshai Bandookbaaz
Director: Kushan Nandy
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami
Three stars
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Naga
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