Fly The Flag

Fly The Flag (2018-2023) has been a unique collaboration between arts organisations and human rights charities which aimed to celebrate and remind us of the human rights we all share.  

Launched in 2018 on the 70th anniversary of the ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Fly The Flag is a reminder of the human rights we all entitled to, in particular raising awareness of the UDHR amongst young people and shining a light where human rights are violated. 

Each year has had a different focus: in 2018/2019 the launch of the project was led by visual artist Ai Wei Wei, who designed a flag and invited schools across the country to engage with Article 26, “the right to an education”. In 2020, at a time of crisis, a series of specially commissioned poems responded to Article 25, “the right to health and wellbeing”. In 2021, dancer and choreographer Oona Doherty led with Article 19, “the right to freedom of expression” – which culminated in a documentary broadcast by Sky Arts. In 2022, we engaged with Article 20, “the right to protest”, inspired by theatre maker and director Jenny Sealey OBE. 

From the Highlands of Scotland to the coast of Cornwall via cities, towns and villages across the UK, in galleries and theatres, shopping centres and offices, schools and libraries, both physically and online, people came together to celebrate and remember that human rights are for everyone, every day. 

We ran projects and events throughout the year and came together on 10th December for Human Rights Day.  

Fly the Flag has now come to an end, but we invite you to take inspiration from the creative learning resources available and with the content produced over the past 5 years to engage your participants with the UDHR! 

to access all the free resources, please head to Fuel Engage, our creative learning platform for teachers and educators,