Greenhaugh Primary School is the first in the North East to send in their creations as part of our Weaving Friendship project.
“We are a very small school of only 14, but have enjoyed taking part!”
Mrs Clare Crow, Headteacher, Greenhaugh Primary School
5,600 children from 51 North East and international schools are taking part in the project, which is one of a number of creative multilingual activities offered free to schools and groups as part of Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages, co-ordinated by International Newcastle. Artist Sue Loughlin was commissioned by Newcastle City Council with North East Combined Authority funding to develop the project, which invites children and young people to create colourful paper weavings, with multilingual messages of friendship. Those received by 21st March will be included in a series of Friendship Trees displayed as an art installation at Newcastle Civic Centre for all to see from April 2025.
“We want to give young people a voice and enable them to express themselves and represent their own culture and feelings about friendship and share these with other children and young people from the North East of England and across the world.“
Sarah Edgar, Newcastle City Council
“Friendships hold immense importance in our lives, impacting our mental and emotional well-being. Cultivating and nurturing positive friendships can bring immense joy, support, and a sense of belonging to our lives. Extending the hand of friendship across the region and the world, the Weaving Friendship project will demonstrate and celebrate the bonds of friendship, support and unity across continents.
The tradition of weaving is thousands of years old and is part of communities and cultures all around the world. Weaving is a way of telling and preserving stories and is a language that speaks of cultural identity, communal bonds, and artistic expression.“
Sue Loughlin, Artist, Weaving Friendship Project
A teacher resource pack developed by the artist, Sue Loughlin, contains details and resources to help schools and groups create the paper weavings. She will compile the weavings into Friendship Trees which will be displayed at Newcastle Civic Centre from April.
Schools can still take part and receive the resource pack, by emailing Festival Coordinator, Declan Baharini, at info@expressyourselfne.com with their school name and address, contact person and the number and year group of children expected to participate
This project is funded by the North East Combined Authority
The project has been developed for the Festival by artist Sue Loughlin and:
