Free as a bird

According to Japanese tradition, if a person folds a thousand cranes, his wish to be healthy will be fulfilled. Since the harrowing death of Japanese girl Sadako Sasaki, a victim of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in World War II, the paper crane has also become a symbol of peace.

As part of seventy-five years of freedom, Amare and Growers in the Arts developed the poetry project "Free as a bird," using the theme from the city opera Maduro.

Seventy-five children and seventy-five elders wrote poems together about freedom. 

What does freedom mean when you are at the beginning of your life? And what if you already have a whole life behind you?

These poems were written on paper cranes and exhibited in Amare during Maduro's performances. Attached is a selection from the poems.

'Free as a bird' is an initiative of Emi Barendse, Els Hoonhout and Tanja Schwerdfeger of Kwekers in de kunst in cooperation with Amare and was realised in cooperation with teachers from Het Huis van Gedich- ten, Bosch en Duin, De Thuishaven, Florence, Muzee, De Galvanisschool, A.M.G. Schmidtschool and De Vuurtoren.

Made possible by Madurodam Children's Fund and Fonds 1818.