Traditions around the world

Handan, China. Children take part in the Chinese tradition of eating watermelons or peaches, 'biting away summer' to symbolise the beginning of the autumn. In 2015 the beginning of autumn started on August 8th.

- Do you think the children are enjoying taking part in this tradition?

- Why do you think the children are eating the watermelons in that way and not in a bowl with a spoon?

- Look at the face of the child behind the eaters; what is that child thinking/ saying?

- Why do you think watermelons or peaches are used to say goodbye to summer, not baked beans or chocolate?

- Do we have any traditions in the UK for celebrating summer or autumn (harvest festival)

City showing support for diversity

A road in Reykjavic, Iceland has been painted rainbow colours to celebrate gay pride in the city. The mayor of the city helped to paint the road and was joined by residents of the city. A large number of children came to help and brought their own paintbrushes. The mayor, Dagur Eggertsson said, "This is one was to make our city livelier, more human and simply a better place by great collaboration and beautiful thinking"

(Pink News 06/08/15)

- Where is Iceland?
- Why is the road painted rainbow colours?
- What is Gay pride? Do other cities around the world hold gay prides? Does the city where we live have a gay pride?
- What does this picture say about Reykjavic's attitude towards people who are gay?
- Why did so many people join in the painting?
- Look at the mayors quote; how can a painted road make a city "more human and a better place?"

Helping others

Ledu County, China
This train is a mobile hospital donated by people of Hong Kong and Macau to people of China.It helps people with cataracts for free and has had 900 patients since arriving 3 months ago.
Photograph: Simon Zo/Reuters

- What is happening in this photo, what do their clothes suggest they are doing?
(explain the photo)
- Why are the people holding hands?
- There are people of different genders and ages in that line and they may follow different faiths or come from different parts of China yet they are all helping each other. If one person in the line refused to hold another's hand what would happen? What does this tell us about different people?
- Why did people from a different place donate a hospital for patients they don't know and will never meet?
- What does this tell us about humans around the world?

Immigration discusssion

Gevgelija, Macedonia

A man and his pregnant wife look for a train to take them to Serbia and Northern Europe. They are fleeing war in Syria. They have walked for 124 miles across Macedonia to get to the border with Serbia.

Photograph: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images

http://www.theguardian.com/news/gallery/2015/jul/28/photo-highlights-of-the-day

- Show the children where Macedonia is in relation to UK, France, Syria.
- Is it safe to walk on train tracks? Why are this couple doing that?
- Why are they running away from Syria? What are they hoping to find?
- Why do people move to live in different countries? Can we always choose where we live?
- How do you think the couple in the photo are feeling? What do they need?
- Are stories like this happening anywhere else in the world today?
- In what ways are the people in this photo different to us and in what ways are they the same?
- This photo was taken on 28th July 2015, what do we hope they are doing now?

Equality and tolerance celebration

The Hamburger Dom funfair in Hamburg, Germany holds a "Rainbow day" to celebrate tolerance and equality (July 31st 2015)
Photograph: Henrik Josef 
http://www.theguardian.com/news/gallery/2015/jul/31/photo-highlights-of-the-day-migrant-clashes-and-wildfires

- What does tolerance and equality mean?
- Why have the people running the funfair chosen to hold a day that celebrates tolerance and equality?
- Why call the day "Rainbow day"?
- What kind of ride is the rainbow circle?
- How has the photographer made the big wheel look like that? (they used a low exposure)
- What does the day tell us about the people living in Hamburg?

Children around the world

August 2015: Children are playing cricket on the outskirts of Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan.
http://www.theguardian.com/news/gallery/2015/aug/03/photo-highlights-of-the-day-wild-horses-and-thai-kings

- Where do you think this photo was taken?
- What feelings are the children experiencing?
- What do you think the child holding the stick up is doing?
- Where is Afghanistan?
- How might the children in this photo be different to you?
- How are the children in this photo similar to you?
- The time in Afghanistan is 3 and a half hours ahead of UK time. What time is it there now and what do you think the boy in the picture might be doing?
- What does this photo tell us about children living in Afghanistan today?