Novaya Novgorodskaya Gazeta

October 13, 2010

Big and good-natured project “Hippopotamus” get hold of our students

In the beginning was the word, and the word was Kiboko. And Kiboko designed the workshops, exhibitions and cultural exchanges for youth and adults from the United States, Kenya and Russia. And Kiboko is New York organization which implements projects not only abroad but recently in our country as well.

The word Kiboko means “hippopotamus” in Swahili. The project named after this big and good-natured animal was founded by American artist and photographer Mark Scheflen in 1999. It draws attention to personal, social, cultural and political issues affecting the youth. The project was designed to enable the dialogue between people from every corner of the world through creative activity. Kiboko Projects started up in our town in the beginning of October. On the first of October at 4 p. m. in the Library Center “Chitai-Gorod” there was an opening of the exhibition of books made by students from Russia, USA and Kenya. Its name is “My Life – My Story”. All represented books are in English. Every book is individual work in a single exemplar. Students made the book covers themselves. This is the way students from St. Petersburg, New York and Kisumu shared their views on issues affecting them. The issues included war, extreme poverty and health.

Artist and Photographer, Mark Scheflen

In February students of St. Petersburg Gymnasium № 209 took part in the Youth Project and in October students from Veliky Novgorod joined them. The project started up in V. Soroka  First University Gymnasium. Novgorod students will be engaged in maskmaking, bookmaking, filmmaking and painting. Later their works will be displayed at exhibitions in different countries.

The first web-conference between students of Novgorod Gymnasium and students of Eleanor Roosevelt High School took place during the opening of the exhibition in Library Center “Chitai-Gorod”. Every student from Novgorod had a chance to talk with American teenagers. During this web-conference young people were drinking tea and talking about important and interesting topics. And the most important thing is that despite the ocean and thousands miles they could give a hand to each other and establish contacts for the future communication.

The next Youth Project exhibition of Mark Scheflen which will include also masks and paintings will open on October 15 at 5 p. m. in Small Hall of the Town Exhibition Center.
By: Dmitry Ivanov