Our Way 1
YOUNG AT THE OPERA TEXT: A REWRITE FROM THE SWEDI
SH ROYAL OPERA BY JOEL ÅHLÉN-NYSTRÖM PHOTO MARKUS GÅRDER, OLOF HOLDAR CULTIVATING the future Every child has the right to participate “fully in cultural and artistic life” – this has even been established in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, opportunities for children to take part in cultural and artistic activities vary greatly – an issue that Young at the Opera is determined to tackle. T he Young at the Opera project, sponsored by Wallenius Lines, is a partnership between The Royal Swedish Opera and Smedshagsskolan in Hässelby, west of Stockholm. The threeyear-long project was initiated to highlight the significance of actively working from a child’s perspective and the importance of the aesthetic learning process in daily school work – and thus by doing so, making cultural activities more accessible for children and young people. For Wallenius Lines, there was never a question as to whether they would join up and sponsor the project. “If we, coming from the business sector, can contribute toward making it possible for young children to discover a whole new world, gain new perspectives and even new role models, the choice is very simple. We are sponsors because we can and we are convinced that investing in children and schools will make a big difference in the future. The children are our future,” says Cecilia Kolga, Group Relations Executive Officer, Wallenius Lines. Cecilia Kolga Group Relations Executive Officer, Wallenius Lines 14 OUR WAY PARTNERSHIPS DURING THE FIVE semesters of the project, from August 2017 to November 2019, 149 different classes and activities were carried out. Many students have other native languages than Swedish, which made it important to find During the project the children got to know the Opera House, as well as express themselves through different art forms.