Huesca Public Library (Spain) discovered an original idea to spread positivity in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the annual San Lorenzo Festival held in Huesca on the second week of August, the library staff and visitors have gathered their creative efforts to make origami and spread some joy around various countries.
The unique meaning of origami is especially relevant in these difficult times. In Japanese, the word origami combines two English meanings to fold and paper. But that is not all. The creation has become a symbol of hope and healing during challenging times, an idea that breaks country barriers and is implemented by creative minds all around the world.
The idea to fold paper crafts came to the librarians of Huesca Public Library because this year San Lorenzo festival was celebrated differently. Usually, the celebration is decorated with lots of music, dancing and people, dressed in white and green colours in honour of San Lorenzo, the city’s patron saint. This year the streets were silent and the idea to fold white and green origami was especially fitting: Huesca’s librarians and library visitors used this symbolic campaign to express the beautiful idea that libraries are a safe haven during the pandemic.
Huesca Public Library gifted the origami to partner libraries, including Panevėžys County Gabrielė Petkevičaitė-Bitė Public Library. Origami is currently displayed in the library’s Periodicals Reading Room, where visitors can also read newspapers, magazines, and get familiar with an open collection of nearly a thousand periodicals.
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