A child’s brain is highly adaptable, constantly learning something, and making sense of the world through observation. Drawing comes naturally to them, helping them communicate and process emotions. When this art becomes a community experience, it can become a powerful tool for bringing people together. The same idea lies at the heart of the Ship of Tolerance, an initiative that transforms children’s artwork to connect the youth of different countries, cultures, and identities.
The Ship of Tolerance is a nomadic art project initiated by artists Ilya and Emilia Kabakov in 2005 in Siwa, Egypt. People gathered on the shore of a small salt lake in the Sahara Desert, more than 300km from the nearest river. A team of engineers had come down from the UK to build the ship based on an ancient Egyptian traditional boat. A mix of locals, many of whom had never seen a boat, and students flown in from the UK decorated the boat with painted squares of fabric to make a patchwork sail.
The project aimed to initiate a discussion about tolerance in people’s daily lives and to promote cross-cultural understanding. The Kabakovs wanted this vessel to be a symbol of acceptance, not just passive co-existence but an active and dynamic commitment. Now, more than 20 years later, Ship of Tolerance has travelled to more than 10 countries including Italy, Switzerland, United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and now Canada.
The Ship of Tolerance uses a 13th century verse by the celebrated Persian Poet Saadi Shirazi to define its mission –
“Human beings are members of a whole,
In creation of one essence and soul.
If one member is afflicted with pain,
Other members uneasy will remain.
If you’ve no sympathy for human pain,
The name of human you cannot retain.”
The Ship of Tolerance celebrated its 20th anniversary here in Oakville, Canada in May, 2025. Over 2000 students participated in the workshops to construct the ship and raise the sail on May 31, 2025, in Gairloch Gardens. While talking with Oakville News, Emilia Kabakov said, “It is not about the ship. It’s about the conversation between children. It’s about their desire.”
Since the launch, more than 100,000 people have visited the ship. It will remain at Gairloch Gardens until the end of September 2026.
