As Glas Istre/Chiara Bilic writes on the 26th of October, 2019, an idyllic scene could be seen looming over the magnificent Pula Amphitheatre on Saturday night, with more than a thousand goodwill lamps and lanterns blowing into the air as part of Pula’s seventeenth Hand Made Festival.
Everything coincided; a pleasant temperature, good visibility and a calm evening with no breeze. This traditional part of the Pula Hand Made Festival’s experience was also complemented by the appearance of the Pula majorettes, who performed for all those gathered.
“May mum, dad and Luka always be happy,” wrote young Luka and his mother Andrea wrote on their lantern. Before the lanterns were released and flew into the dark night sky, it was necessary to make a wish and then write it on the lantern. However, Iva and her daughter Tia decided that their wish would be a secret. Tia thinks it’s better because then nobody will know what she wants to see happen to her soon.
A nice message to all was released by Nika and Vana: “Good luck, good health and well-being to everyone in the Republic of Croatia!”
People of all ages arrived at the Pula-based event that sought to include everyone, but was most certainly enjoyed by all of the present children in the company of their parents. The people of Pula started gathering in front of the historic Arena about an hour before the paper lanterns were released up into the night sky, spending their time dancing and singing.
Revenues from the sale of the lanterns, which were sold at the Pula Hand Made Festival at a price of 25 kuna, have a humanitarian desination too – as that money will go to granting someone’s wishes. Namely, the money is intended to cover the cost of marendas (small meals which are more like snacks) for students who come from a less fortunate financial background.
Students from Pula elementary schools who cannot afford this meal will have it covered for them completely for an entire year.
If anyone is wondering what will happen to the multitude of paper lanterns when they finally burn out and land somewhere, they will break down in nature as they are ecological, that is, made of eco paper and bamboo.
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