Communication in Conflicts 2006 (KiK '06)
25.09. - 01.10.2006

Theater Workshop "My shadow walks with me on stage"
with HOPE AZEDA (Rwanda) and NORA AMIN (Egypt/Sudan)

Workshop on applying theatre in the context of trauma, healing and as a tool for social change. Hope Azeda and Nora Amin shared their experiences and methodology of drawing from local circumstances and realities for artistic work and making art and theatre which inspire and feed into the transformation of our social realities ("Real life for theatre/theatre for real life").

A public presentation of the workshop was held at the end of the collaborative week, followed by a

Conference "Performance Practices for Social Change - Perspectives from Africa"

A space for dialogue and reflection on working with theatre in conflict and post-conflict regions and applying theatre as a creative tool to participate in processes of social change. What are the specific potentials of working with theatre and creative processes? What type of work is particularly effective and what kind of circumstances do we need to create satisfying work? Which are the specific limitations of theatre as a part of social transformation? What are specific aspects of working in the context of the Global South?

About the facilitators:

Hope Azeda is artistic director and founding member of the Mashirika Theatre Company in Rwanda, consisting of both professional and lay artists. The group has been actively involved in the civilian reconciliation process (Gacaca tribunals) in Ruanda. Hope Azeda has extensive experience in film and theatre and is currently also Executive Committee member of the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People (ASSITEJ).

Nora Amin is actress, writer, theatre director and educator.
Born in Egypt, she worked as a dancer/founder member at the Cairo Opera House modern company. She founded the La musica independent theatre group and directed its productions, touring in several countries. Currently Nora Amin is Project manager of "The Centre for Theatre in Conflict Zones", a cooperation between the Sudanese and German sections of the International Theatre Institute (ITI).

Financial support for the project was provided by
Stiftung Umverteilen! and the LEZ Berlin

Sep-November 2006

City of Children

Project at Gesundbrunnen Primary School in Berlin, using a specially designed camera made for children, enabling them to explore their local environment and discover their neighbourhood.
DVD of the project available,
Further information: Paula Kramer
Financial support for the project was provided by respectabel.

October/November 2005

"unvarnished faces of real life" / Ungeschminkt
Project dealing with racism in schools in Berlin, in collaboration with GRIPS Theater and theatre educators "Theaterpädagogische Aktionen".

Scenes using the forum theatre method will be developed in the course of workshops in five secondary schools in Berlin. These are based on the GRIPS theatre show "Hello Nazi" and deal with racism and social exclusion. Participating pupils from the 9th and 10th grades will invite their co-pupils to be spect-actors and jointly search for solutions to the problems depicted.

A public presentation was held in December 2005 at the Jugendkulturzentrum Pumpe in Berlin with a video documentation of the project and a special forum theatre performance by the participant theatre facilitators.

The project was funded by the Berlin Municipal Council (Dept. of Public Health, Consumer and Social Affairs) as well as through the Regional Funds for Integration and Migration (Special Programme against right-wing extremism, xenophobia and anti-semitism).
Contact: Meike Herminghausen

14.-15.10.2005
gender theatre - Reflecting on gender through performance

Workshop (together with Gender Büro/ Berliner Entwicklungspolitischer Ratschlag)

Facilitators: Dr. Regina Frey (Gender Büro) and Till Baumann (sabisa – performing change)

Friday, 14 October 2005 - 14.00-21.00 hrs.&

Saturday, 15 October 2005 - 10.00-18.00 hrs

Venue: Werkstatt der Kulturen, Berlin

Wissmannstr. 32, Berlin, U-Bhf Hermannplatz

Further information: Till Baumann

16 November 2005
Three Theatre Methods for Social Change :
"Playmaking", "Didactic Play" and "Forum theatre"

As part of the Sixth Festival of Politics in the Free Theatre in Berlin sabisa - performing change organised a panel discussion preceded by a brief introduction to three theatre methods.

Playmaking (Mitspielaktion), didactic play (Lehrstück) and forum theatre are three methods often used to explore possibilities to change society and empower individuals in the process. Experts on these methods will debate the advantages and drawbacks of each of these methods and discuss which conditions are best suited for their application.

Participants had the opportunity to get a glimpse of the three methods before the panel discussion during introductory method workshops.

Facilitators:

Philipp Harpain (GRIPS Theater, Berlin) - Playmaking
Gerd Koch (Alice Salomon Fachhochschule, Berlin) - Didactic Play
Michael Wrentschur (InterACT, Graz) - Forum Theatre

Wednesday, 16 November, 2005
14:00 -17:30 hrs. : Introductory method workshops
18.30 hrs. : Panel discussion

Venue: Theater Unterm Dach

Danziger Straße 101, 10405 Berlin
S-Bahn Greifswalder Straße, Prenzlauer Allee

Further information: Hannah Reich