A NEW video to celebrate the start of the men’s football World Cup and promote protection against skin cancer has brought young people together in Dundee.
We Can Ah Kick a Ba is a “joyful celebration of creativity, language and football” filmed in five of the city schools.
Its creation is a collaboration between V&A Dundee, Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre and features young people sharing a poem on sun safety, as well as saying the iconic phrase “We Can Ah Kick Ah Ba” in the 33 languages which are spoken across the city.
“The result is a joyful, inclusive celebration of Dundee’s communities and a powerful reflection of the city’s creativity, diversity and spirit of play,” said a spokesperson for the project.
The video’s release also marks the public launch of a new city-wide sun safety awareness campaign timed to coincide with the tournament.
Primary school pupils across the city have received Sun Safe Scotland packs, which include a bottle of Factor 50 suncream and a specially created World Cup Fandana which aksi features in the video.
The Fandana design featured builds on an earlier collaboration between V&A Dundee and some of the city’s young people who created a World Cup inspired scarf now sold in the V&A Dundee shop.
The scarf inspired retired NHS surgeon Rodney Mountain to approach the team with the idea to use the excitement of the World Cup to promote sun safety for children.
The result is the World Cup Fandana, a playful reimagining of the classic bandana, designed both as a celebration piece for young football fans and as practical sun protection.
The campaign is supported by dermatologist Dr Amy Perkins, helping to underline the health message at the heart of the initiative.
The video has been launched to coincide with International Day of Play and the Dundee Play Festival as well as the start of the World Cup.
Marking this occasion, schools across the city screened the video, with pupils also receiving their Sun Safe Scotland packs and taking part in football-themed play activities.
“Together, the project brings design, health, education and community celebration into one city-wide moment, showing how creative collaboration can support children’s wellbeing while spotlighting the ideas and identities of young people in Dundee,” said the project’s spokesperson.
