Boards für Skateistan

Social change meets art meets skateboarding. And all of that in my hometown, Cologne. Yeah!

Skateistan – the project

The Skateistan project is a beautiful illustration of the principle that “to change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete” (Buckminster Fuller).

Started in Kabul, Afghanistan, it replaces the old model – a circle of violence, insecurity, lack of perspectives and poverty – with a new model: Skateboarding. Young kids, boys & girls, get on the boards and learn to skate. And much more – learn to learn, to respect each other, build relationship, build their confidence, to get ahead in life. And to leave the old model!

A wonderful project that has attracted some media attention. Now, this is social change, visible at its best (never mind the sheep-head):

The project has not stayed in Kabul, but a “second branch”, with the same principle, has open in Phnom Phen, Cambodia.

22 für Kambodscha – the support

Even if there’s a lot of volunteering involved, Skateistan needs money.

One way to get it is donations.

A small group in Cologne tried a slightly different way. They’ve asked artists – most of them engaged in urban arts / graffiti, some of them disabled – to take old, used skateboards and convert them into pieces of art (you can see two of them above). The sales revenue goes straight to Skateistan Cambodia.

The boards are getting exhibited at Café im Bauturm for the next weeks, with an opening Vernissage on 7 January 2012, 7pm. Check the facebook page of 22 für Kambodscha for updates!