On a wind-carved strip of coast in The Hague, beneath a sky heavy with memory and hope, a handmade kite rose quietly over Scheveningen Beach. It wasn’t just any kite. This one carried the stitched-together dreams of displaced Ukrainians, shaped during a two-part workshop called “Kites of Transformation – Freedom.”
Led by Dutch artist Rienke Enghardt, the event was part of the Together Project by the grassroots foundation Road of Hope, which works closely with refugees in the Netherlands. The workshop unfolded across two days: May 1st at Amsterdam’s NDSM wharf, and May 5th, Liberation Day in the Netherlands, in The Hague, the city internationally known as the seat of peace and justice.
Liberation Day commemorates the end of Nazi occupation in the Netherlands in 1945. But for the 13 Ukrainian participants – joined by a man from Gaza-Kyiv, now living in The Hague – liberation is not something preserved in history books. It’s a question that pulses daily through their lives. What does freedom mean when your homeland is under attack? When your identity is challenged by war, exile, and the uncertainty of tomorrow?
These were the questions that may have come to their minds on May 1st, when participants gathered at NDSM to create symbolic pieces of a shared artwork. Under Rienke’s guidance, they crafted “sleeves of freedom” to trail from the kite’s tail and “hands of hope” that would later be gifted to the Vlaggenwacht (Flag Watch), a silent vigil held daily in front of the Russian Embassy in The Hague, where volunteers raise a monumental Ukrainian flag in protest of Russia’s invasion.
The artmaking was paired with conversation, tender, raw, and deeply personal.
“Freedom to me is like wind in my hair at sunset, when you walk toward the sky not knowing exactly where the road will lead, but knowing deep down it’s the right path,” said Olga, from Luhansk. “It’s the feeling that the world has opened its arms, and you can breathe fully, love without fear, and choose with your heart.”
“For me, freedom is being myself in all my expressions, allowing both myself and others to make mistakes and change our minds,” added Alina, from Donetsk. “It’s the ability to see the world as it is, diverse, often unfair, but so amazing and full of wonderful things.”
By the time May 5th arrived, the participants had packed their thoughts and crafted objects and boarded a small bus to The Hague. Their route was deeply symbolic, passing the Peace Palace and the Ukrainian flags of the Vlaggenwacht in front of the Russian Embassy, before ending at the beach.
There was a picnic at the art museum, but a shift occurred as the group approached the Russian Embassy. Emotions welled up. Some described it as a moment of “teenage anger”, that visceral, unfiltered grief and rage that comes when you’re asked to be resilient for too long.
Yet, when the group reached the sea, and the kite finally took flight, and even with the wild stormy wind of a Dutch May, something softened inside of them. Those who were quiet and careful, holding a huge kite, were able to feel deep joy and the strength of the wind, as well as a kite that wanted to escape but was held.
The Kite of Transformation, now adorned with the group’s creative expressions, sleeves flowing like stories, hands reaching outward, rose above the beach, catching the wind like a message no missile could intercept.
After this intense experience, peace came. People were not able to say goodbye, and even after the organisers left, they stayed for one hour chatting about images of their experience and the meaning of freedom.
“We are so grateful for this event! It is very powerful,” one participant shared quietly.
It was a release, not from war, not from exile, but from the silence that often surrounds grief.
In this day, at The Haag, The Kite of Transformation was not just an art project; It became part ritual, part protest, part therapy. And in a month where the Netherlands celebrates both its liberation and Mental Health Awareness, it’s a reminder that freedom is not only about borders. It’s about being allowed to feel, to mourn, to dream, and to fly, even just for an afternoon.
The next workshop in the Together Project is scheduled for May 15th at Botel, titled “Celebrating Ukrainian Traditions – Spring!” with the participation of Olha Zhukova, a master of applied art from Kherson region. It promises more storytelling, strengthens bonds, and reconnects with the cultural roots that continue to inspire the longing for freedom and hope.
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📸 Photo credits: Max Salii @saliivisual, Alina Soldatenko @alina.soldatenko.13, and Mike Lysenko.