2004

Friday 23rd July 2004
St Mary’s Greta students create prayer flags for children in detention
Year Two students from St Mary’s Infants School at Greta in the Hunter Region of NSW recently participated in an activity to demonstrate their support for children currently detained with their families at South Australia’s Baxter Detention Centre.

According to Mrs Therese Douglas, an East Maitland Catholic parishioner who led the students through the classroom activity, “After learning about the tradition of prayer flags from Tibet, Year Two decided to create their own prayer flags.

“Each child has written on a flag and painted a picture depicting activities that are special to them. This activity aimed to further each child’s understanding of the United Nations’ Rights of the Child.”

Mrs Douglas continued, “Usually these flags are made of light material and are tied somewhere outside to catch the wind so that the prayers float out into the world and then gradually disintegrate. But the class decided to make their flags more permanent so that they could be flown as a symbol of support and friendship for the children in Baxter Detention Centre.”

After floating from the veranda of St Mary’s Infants School for a few weeks, the flags were displayed in Maitland Mall’s Bargain Box craft shop during the July school holidays.

“The owner of the shop has a custom of displaying various craft activities made by customers and was very interested in displaying the flags. Now they will be sent to Baxter Detention Centre where we hope they will be displayed prominently for the children to enjoy,” Mrs Douglas explained.

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