Check out the new United Nations at dlr LexIcon. Flags created by primary school children during our Nation Creation workshops in June are now hanging proud, thanks to Deborah von Metzradt who created this wonderful wall hanging in record time for Culture Night.
The Nation Creation workshops, designed and run by the Irish section of IBBY (the International Board on Books for Young People www.ibbyireland.com) complemented the Silent Books exhibition, a collection of more than 100 wordless picture books from around the world. www.ibby.org/awards-activities/activities/silent-books
In the Nation Creation workshops, facilitated by myself and author-illustrator Tatyana Feeney, children created their own countries, complete with laws, currency, holidays, national anthems, dishes and of course flags.
These felt flags represent the values and heart of each new country. There’s Atlasia’s giant Atlas, holding the world on his shoulders and bringing peace symbolised by yin and yang signs. There’s the pineapple of, yes, Pineapple Land, where everyone must own a pineapple by law and the national salute is three fingers above the head like the crown of the fruit. Chocolate Fantasy Island has a unicorn below a row of chocolate bars and above a crossed-out pile of vegetables, which are banned substances in the country. There are stars of peace, stripes of justice, rainbow squares for rainbow nations and hearts to welcome all visitors. Judging by these offerings, the future looks bright.