"Making Friends with Flowers" to Reach Four Continents This Spring
On June 7, 2009, children and families will gather at Brooklyn Botanic Garden to create an autobiographical rose as part of “Making Friends With Flowers,” (MFWF) an international family art program developed by Others Are Us. MFWF brings people together at botanical gardens around the world to celebrate a shared love of nature, art and family time. Recognizing the simple things we have in common creates an empathy that unites people and bridges geographical distances and cultural differences
New York, NY, June 05, 2009 --(PR.com)-- On June 7, 2009, children and families will gather at Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) to create a hybrid autobiographical rose as part of “Making Friends With Flowers,” (MFWF) an international family art program developed by Others Are Us (OAU). “Making Friends With Flowers” brings people together at botanical gardens around the world to celebrate a shared love of nature, art and family time. According to Annette Swierzbinski, OAU’s founder, “Recognizing the simple things we share, despite differences in language and culture, creates an empathy between people even though there may be thousands of miles separating them.” Drawings and greetings are exchanged as a gesture of good-will and friendship through the internet.
Joining the South China Botanical Garden in Guangzhou, a second time MFWF participant, is the Cambridge University Botanic Garden in England. Cambridge staff became so excited about the concept of reaching out to others through the universal practice of sending flowers--albeit drawings delivered via technology--that they decided to approach the Durban Botanic Garden in South Africa “to try and make friends with them with flowers,” said Sally Marsh of the Education department at the Cambridge garden. With the addition of the Durban garden, “Making Friends With Flowers” will have propagated to four continents this spring.
Volunteers from High School of Art and Design and LaGuardia High School of Music, Art and the Performing Arts lead “Making Friends With Flowers” at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Students help children create their roses using a variety of media. Children will also have the opportunity to explore the beautiful, world-class Cranford Rose Garden and learn how to write a word or two in Mandarin. Art from present and past MFWF programs will be on display for all to enjoy.
Making Friends With Flowers
For 1st through 6th graders
During this Others Are Us art program, children use a variety of media to create works inspired by BBG's Cranford Rose Garden. Their artwork will be exchanged over the internet with children participating in the same activity internationally. Young artists can write a message in other languages to send with their roses and view art by children from far off lands. For more info about Others Are Us, visit OthersAreUs.org.
Sunday, June 7 | drop in 1–3 p.m.
Cranford Rose Garden
Others Are Us was founded in 2002 by Annette Swierzbinski who trained as an attorney, artist, and educator. The mission of the organization and the programs it has developed were a response to the culture of fear and negative profiling of others that arose following the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent issue of globalization. OAU was conceived as a long-term strategy for establishing a foundation for preventing future conflicts by fostering in children the ability to recognize intercultural similarities and to understand the origin and nature of cultural differences. This enables them to work cooperatively to address shared issues.
In 2005, OAU developed “Making Friends with Flowers” following discussions with the Governor of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. MFWF focuses on the universal use of flowers to send messages to others and a shared love of art and family. The program has been implemented at Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, Ethical Culture Society of New York and School of the Future as part of the Center for Arts Education’s Parents as Art Partners initiative.
Founded in 1910, Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) is an independent nonprofit institution committed to education, research, and the display of horticulture. BBG serves communities in New York City and internationally through its world-class gardens, extensive research collections, and numerous educational and community programs. Situated on 52 acres in the heart of Brooklyn, the Garden is home to over 12,000 types of plants and hosts more than 750,000 visitors annually. Brooklyn Botanic Garden was rated Brooklyn’s number one tourist attraction in Zagat’s 2008 Best of Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. The Garden is closed on Mondays; open holiday Mondays, except Labor Day. Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for senior citizens (65 and older) and students with ID. Children under 12, all school groups, and Garden members are admitted free at all times. Seniors are admitted free all day Friday, and the Garden is free to the public all day on Tuesdays and until noon on Saturdays (except Saturdays of major Public Programs such as Sakura Matsuri). Visitor entrances are at Flatbush Avenue, at the parking lot gate at 900 Washington Avenue, and at Eastern Parkway. By subway, take the 2 or 3 train to Eastern Parkway or the B (weekdays) or Q train to Prospect Park. By bus, use the B16, B41, B43, B45, B48, or B71. Parking is available at 900 Washington Avenue for a fee. For more information call 718-623-7200. Additional information is also offered online at bbg.org.
Contact: Annette Swierzbinski
Annette@OthersAreUs.org
212-595-6814
###
Joining the South China Botanical Garden in Guangzhou, a second time MFWF participant, is the Cambridge University Botanic Garden in England. Cambridge staff became so excited about the concept of reaching out to others through the universal practice of sending flowers--albeit drawings delivered via technology--that they decided to approach the Durban Botanic Garden in South Africa “to try and make friends with them with flowers,” said Sally Marsh of the Education department at the Cambridge garden. With the addition of the Durban garden, “Making Friends With Flowers” will have propagated to four continents this spring.
Volunteers from High School of Art and Design and LaGuardia High School of Music, Art and the Performing Arts lead “Making Friends With Flowers” at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Students help children create their roses using a variety of media. Children will also have the opportunity to explore the beautiful, world-class Cranford Rose Garden and learn how to write a word or two in Mandarin. Art from present and past MFWF programs will be on display for all to enjoy.
Making Friends With Flowers
For 1st through 6th graders
During this Others Are Us art program, children use a variety of media to create works inspired by BBG's Cranford Rose Garden. Their artwork will be exchanged over the internet with children participating in the same activity internationally. Young artists can write a message in other languages to send with their roses and view art by children from far off lands. For more info about Others Are Us, visit OthersAreUs.org.
Sunday, June 7 | drop in 1–3 p.m.
Cranford Rose Garden
Others Are Us was founded in 2002 by Annette Swierzbinski who trained as an attorney, artist, and educator. The mission of the organization and the programs it has developed were a response to the culture of fear and negative profiling of others that arose following the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent issue of globalization. OAU was conceived as a long-term strategy for establishing a foundation for preventing future conflicts by fostering in children the ability to recognize intercultural similarities and to understand the origin and nature of cultural differences. This enables them to work cooperatively to address shared issues.
In 2005, OAU developed “Making Friends with Flowers” following discussions with the Governor of Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. MFWF focuses on the universal use of flowers to send messages to others and a shared love of art and family. The program has been implemented at Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, Ethical Culture Society of New York and School of the Future as part of the Center for Arts Education’s Parents as Art Partners initiative.
Founded in 1910, Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) is an independent nonprofit institution committed to education, research, and the display of horticulture. BBG serves communities in New York City and internationally through its world-class gardens, extensive research collections, and numerous educational and community programs. Situated on 52 acres in the heart of Brooklyn, the Garden is home to over 12,000 types of plants and hosts more than 750,000 visitors annually. Brooklyn Botanic Garden was rated Brooklyn’s number one tourist attraction in Zagat’s 2008 Best of Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Botanic Garden is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. The Garden is closed on Mondays; open holiday Mondays, except Labor Day. Admission is $8 for adults and $4 for senior citizens (65 and older) and students with ID. Children under 12, all school groups, and Garden members are admitted free at all times. Seniors are admitted free all day Friday, and the Garden is free to the public all day on Tuesdays and until noon on Saturdays (except Saturdays of major Public Programs such as Sakura Matsuri). Visitor entrances are at Flatbush Avenue, at the parking lot gate at 900 Washington Avenue, and at Eastern Parkway. By subway, take the 2 or 3 train to Eastern Parkway or the B (weekdays) or Q train to Prospect Park. By bus, use the B16, B41, B43, B45, B48, or B71. Parking is available at 900 Washington Avenue for a fee. For more information call 718-623-7200. Additional information is also offered online at bbg.org.
Contact: Annette Swierzbinski
Annette@OthersAreUs.org
212-595-6814
###
Contact
Others Are Us
Annette Swierzbinski
212-595-6814
www.OthersAreUs.org
Annette Swierzbinski
212-595-6814
www.OthersAreUs.org
Contact
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