The pink seesaws of harmony reach across the divide at US-Mexico border

Set up by American architects to show harmony and coexistence between the two countries.

▲ US border wall seesaws allow children on each side to play together – video

Children were seen playing on an art installation that aims to show unity amid Trump-era hostility.

▲The seesaws across the Mexican-American border.

[AP=YONHAP NEWS]

A set of fluorescent pink seesaws has been built across the US-Mexico border by a pair of professors seeking to bring a playful concept of unity to the two sides of the divide.

Installed along the steel border fence on the outskirts of El Paso in Texas and Ciudad Juárez in Mexico, the seesaws are the invention of Ronald Rael, a professor of architecture at the University of California, Berkeley, and Virginia San Fratello, an associate professor of design at San José State University, who first came up with the concept 10 years ago.

▲A picture shared by Ronald Rael(@rrael) on Jul 28, 2019 at 11:22pm PDT.

Children and adults can be seen playing and interacting on both sides of the fence using the seesaws, which provide “a literal fulcrum” between the countries, according to Rael. He said the event was about bringing “joy, excitement and togetherness at the border wall”.
He added that it was also about finding “meaningful ways on both sides with the recognition that the actions that take place on one side have a direct consequence on the other side”.

Despite the Donald Trump administration's hardline immigration policy, the U.S.-Mexico border continues to suffer a series of tragedies as immigrants from Central America continue to visit the U.S. Border security has also been tightened as Mexico deploys national defence forces amid pressure from the U.S. to prevent the influx of immigrants.

▲Soldiers who watched people were playing 'the seesaw' on the border.

[AP/YONHAP NEWS]

It is beautiful to see people trying to achieve peace amidst countless conflicts and disputes.

 ** Consult [AP=The Guardian & YONHAP NEWS]