Submitted by rhianon on
On July 26 Skateistan held its UK book launch in association with HUCK magazine, who helped us out hugely by providing a gallery space at TCOLondon and some refreshments. The guestlist was full days before, and over 150 people came by to check out the exhibition, watch "Skateistan: To Live and Skate Kabul" and participate in a Q&A with founder and director Oliver Percovich. Our volunteer team over at Skateistan UK did a fantastic job at putting the whole event together.
The reception from the audience was amazing, showing a massive interest in the lives of Afghanistan's youth, and in the use of creativity to bring about change. One guy in the audience told us how he had introduced Skateistan to his mom, a teacher in Scotland, and she had then done an activity about Skateistan with her highschool class. She told him it was the class that had the most engagement and feedback in her many years teaching. The girls especially, many being young Muslim women, were really excited to learn about the Skateistan girls in Kabul!
During Oliver's visit to London he was also invited to speak the morning on July 26 at the Royal House of Commons in London during the inaugural meeting of the Global Impact Institute (GII). While he presented the Skateistan project to a bunch of very powerful people in suits, the Skateistan UK volunteers hung the photo exhibition and prepared for the event that same night. Action-packed!
The Skateistan book will be available in the US and UK on Amazon shortly, but in the meantime you can email us if you are based in the UK and would like a copy. UK-based supporters can also now make donations to Skateistan UK via SMS: just text SKTE12 £5 to 70070.
In the EU the book can be bought online here. If you live elsewhere and want an email when the book becomes available on Amazon you can sign up easily.
Oliver chatting with our great Skateistan UK volunteers!
Checking out "To Live and Skate Kabul"
