Unoccupied Skies! Burin Solidarity Kite-Flying & Picnic
About
Unoccupied Skies! Burin Solidarity Kite-Flying & Picnic
Let's fill the sky with colourful kites of joyful resistance in solidarity with Palestinians, from Burin to Gaza!
The annual Burin Kite Festival is an act of peaceful resistance for residents struggling against both the harsh reality of Israel's illegal occupation and unprecedented settler violence.
This summer, residents of Burin will once again host a multi-day festival celebrating Palestinian livelihood and culture.
In the words of organizers, the message of the festival is simple:
“We have the right to smile, we have the right to have fun. We have the right to be happy, we have the right to play, we have the right to move. From the Burin mountains to the sands of Gaza, they will not kill our hope and our smiles.”
Here on occupied, stolen, and unceded Coast Salish lands in so-called Vancouver, we're answering the call for a global week of action by filling the sky with colourful kites of joyful resistance, in solidarity with Palestinians and with occupied peoples around the world.
Bring a picnic lunch and your own kite or register to reserve a kite at the event - all are welcome to participate!
Donations to the Burin Kite Festival are welcome and encouraged!
The 2026 Burin Kite Festival is raising funds for transportation, kite-making materials, and activities for children and families attending the festival from refugee camps across the West Bank.
Your donation goes to:
- Reserve buses to transport children from Palestinian refugee camps in Nablus, Tulkarm, Bethlehem, Jenin, and Ramallah to the kite festival in Burin. Over 40,000 residents of refugee camps in the northern West Bank have recently been displaced, and we want to make sure they can access some joy!
- Arrange for dance, theatre, and singing troupes to host workshops and concerts with the children teaching Palestinian folkways and storytelling practices in defiance of cultural erasure and military rule.
- Acquire wood, glue, string, cloth, and all the crafting supplies necessary for the children to assemble their DIY kites.
- Provide water, juice, gifts, and snacks for the families and children attending the kite festival.
Please give generously!