Go Skate Day Brings Out 140 Kids

On the afternoon of Monday, June 21, over 140 Afghan girls and boys on skateboards halted traffic along three kilometres of busy streets in Kabul to take part in international Go Skateboarding Day (GSD). They then participated in festivities at the Skateistan indoor skateboarding facility, including contests for both girls and boys. This incredible turnout was more than four times the number of youth who took part in the event last year. Go Skateboarding Day is an international holiday recognizing the value of skateboarding to youth in societies around the world.

The skateboarders assembled at an empty fountain, where Skateistan was born, shortly after 1 p.m. on Monday. The 2nd annual GSD in Kabul was hosted and organized by Skateistan and the participants were all our students coming from various ethnic, religious and socio-economic backgrounds. Staff and volunteers arrived in a minibus packed with over 80 skateboards and several dozen helmets to loan out to the kids. Due to the large number of children most skateboards had to be signed out to teams of two students, who shared along the way.

At 2 p.m. traffic was halted on Massoud Rd., one of the main thoroughfares in Kabul, and the girls led the way for the exciting three kilometre journey to the Skateistan park. In less than an hour all the skaters had arrived at the destination, where they received snacks and refreshments. At 4:30 p.m. General Zahir Aghbar, president of the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee (ANOC), and Skateistan’s executive director Oliver Percovich spoke to the youth, followed by an award ceremony on behalf of ANOC, celebrating the work of Skateistan staff.

Sixteen of the best male and female students were then chosen to compete in the first contests held within the facility. Prizes were awarded to all competitors. After dinner most of the students went home, except for older volunteers who were able to join international staff in a live Skype video conference with skateboarders in Basel, Switzerland, at 10:30 p.m. The skaters in Basel took part in a GSD event where they collected donations for Skateistan and hit the streets on their skateboards for a 5000 meter distance to represent the 5000 kilometer distance between Basel and Kabul.