Review on a hell-of-a-festival that could possibly change the world by blending refugees, locals and whoever's up for a party for 4 days of daydreaming.
During one of those "erghhh" moments of overwhelming impotence facing the amount of bullshit offered on the world's menu, Yellow Days stroke me as the awakening example of hope I needed. Genius idea + positive folks with an anything is possible mindset = heck yeah, I'm in!
So what's all the fuss about?
Let me tell you. It all started one year ago when a supergirl called Nina volunteered at a refugee camp in Leros, a teeny beauty island in Greece. She felt an unwanted division between refugees and volunteers, separating those helping and the ones in need in such a way that felt almost repulsive. Breaking stereotypes and invisible barriers is what this Spanish hero is all about, so she thought of a masterplan to do just that. Along with the help of her fiercest friends without who she claims none of this would've happened, the legendary Yellow Days Festival was born.
Fast forward to 1 year of hard work later (heck, these guys deserve a prize for mo-ti-va-tion) on the same island, with a whole new idea : pulling out 4 magical days of festivity for all refugees, locals, volunteers & other curious creatures to enjoy. The result? A stunning success!
Through art, smiles, music, food, hugs, conversation, dance and other means of expression, people would connect despite language and cultural differences, creating this uplifting harmony loaded with good vibes.
Musicians willing to share their skills were welcome to, offering a wide variety of styles -from Arabic to Greek or Rock music- to get funky with.
Topping it all up, 100% of the decorations were made using recycled "trash" (I can testify) , creating awareness on waste while showing how garbage can look damn right beautiful!
Why is Yellow Days so important in the world we live in?
Well... it's no secret- doors tend to close at the sight of refugees. "So you've escaped war? Walked for months to reach safety? Left loved ones behind? Don't know when you'll see home again? Well, before we help too much, let's make sure our economy can handle it". TOP on the bullshit menu. This HAS to change. What we prioritize as a society, the way refugees are portrayed, stereotyped, disregarded, KHALAS*! Stop the madness and hate. Open the doors. Let the Yellow light shine through!
Not to mention the huge eye-opener it can be for privileged folks who might reflect more before categorizing something as a "problem" in their lives.
So just imagine how much hope for humanity could be spread if we share the Yellow love. Power to the people, not the people in power.
Like Manu Chao, show your support for the Yellow family.
Check it out, talk about it, join us next year or on the next bonfire event, donate or fundraise for the festival, purchase from the online shop, you know what to do ;)
LONG LIVE YELLOW DAYS FESTIVAL !!
All pictures (except 7th) taken from Yellow Day's Facebook page HERE. Thank-you Dora (event photographer) for sharing!
*"Enough" in Arabic