Crafting Civilisation: The Art of Greek and Arab Harmony
Crafting Civilisation: The Art of Greek and Arab Harmony invite children on a creative journey through the shared heritage of two great civilisations. Across three themed workshops; Patterns of Wisdom, Mini Monuments, and Stories on Clay; participants explore how Greek and Arab cultures expressed beauty, knowledge, and storytelling through art, geometry, and design. Through hands-on activities, they discover how creativity has long connected humanity in harmony and understanding.
Fridays, 7 November 2025
“Patterns of Wisdom”
Exploring the harmony between Greek geometric patterns and Arab-Islamic ornamental art, this workshop celebrates how mathematics, art, and culture intertwine. Children will discover how both Greek and Arab artists and thinkers found beauty in geometry; from the meander (Greek key pattern) symbolizing infinity and unity, to intricate Arabesque designs found in mosques and manuscripts. Through storytelling, guided observation, and hands-on artmaking, participants will create their own “pattern tile” blending both styles; a symbol of how cultures connect through art and logic.
Saturdays, 8 November 2025
“Mini Monuments”
Architecture has always reflected human thought — the way we imagine, build, and express our values. The Greeks built temples and libraries that celebrated proportion, balance, and philosophy. The Arabs, centuries later, expanded on this architectural wisdom, blending geometry, calligraphy, and design into magnificent mosques, libraries, and learning houses; including the iconic House of Wisdom in Baghdad. This workshop celebrates how knowledge itself became architecture – built, shared, and preserved across civilizations. Children will create their own mini monuments combining Greek structure and Arab ornamentation, symbolizing how the world’s wisdom was constructed piece by piece.
Sundays, 9 November 2025
“Stories on Clay”
Long before books and papers existed, stories were told through art – carved, painted, or molded on clay. From Mesopotamia’s cuneiform tablets to Arab potters’ calligraphic vessels, and even Greek amphorae painted with myths, clay has carried the human story for thousands of years. This program, Stories on Clay, invites children to become ancient storytellers and artists; using clay to create symbols, pictures, and textures that express ideas, emotions, and tales. Each child’s clay tile becomes a “page” in the ongoing story of human creativity and cultural expression.
