The Freedom Theatre is an organization that advocates freedom and peace through theatre arts. The organization was initially run by Arna Mer  Khamis—a Jewish woman who has been working with the Palestinians regarding the trauma of violence caused by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The organization does a lot of projects with Palestinian kids who are traumatized by the conflict. It located in the Northern part of West Bank. The Freedom Theatre’s projects include the young generation to learn the art of acting, and through it they express their hardship and their everyday experience being Palestinian adolescences. The organization contains of drama workshops, acting school, applied theatre, productions, and performances. The expression of their trauma and feelings through this art form has done positive things to these kids.

http://www.thefreedomtheatre.org/what-we-do/theatre/

Theatre art of peace and freedom could be used to heal or educate kids from around the world that are struggling with hardships of any kind. Home problems, violent neighborhoods, segregation, bullying, war are some types of settings where the program could work. Kids age 8 through 20 may be the more ideal learners of this form of peace-building.

By using emotional intelligences and multiple intelligences, a facilitator could run this program and apply to struggling communities. It requires absolute open-mindedness and support to implement this. Kids who express their feeling want to be heard. They want to be healed. Expression needs to be followed up by support and caring in order for healing to work.

Teachers in violent inner city neighborhoods and international peace-builders are the most ideal educators to utilize this form of healing.

From its humble beginnings to now becoming an international fad, Yoga is making an impact on not only the body, mind, and soul, but in Peace Education. In a never ending attempt to revamp and expand peace education programs, Yoga has wiggled its way into bringing peace to individuals and communities that would not otherwise be able to find such outlets.

With a practice that requires high volumes of focus, yoga programs like that of YogaKids allows education in a traditional classroom setting to shift into something more. The goal of programs like YogaKids is to create better creativity, behavior, and energy in children starting at a young age.

According to their program results, students can obtain higher understanding of curriculum, focus in class, less anxiety, and higher creativity among other things.

To find a Yoga Kids teacher in the area, just click the link and input your information: http://yogakids.com/find-a-teacher.htm

Not only can you find a teacher, but you can become one yourself: http://yogakids.com/training/trainings-overview.htm

However, yoga in Peace Education does not stop just with the children. These types of programs encompass every level of circumstance.

Higher education has gotten in on peace through yoga as well. Butler University has created workshops to learn how to become an expert in peace through yoga. The 200 hour certifies students to become instructors. Each student of the program attains an understanding of meditation and mindful techniques.

The goal of such programs and yoga in general is to find inner peace. When this has been attained, then approaches to conflict can be found in healthier and more nonviolent manners, or avoided at all. 

The discussions in class surrounding the topics of women and violence and the legal system reminded me of Zeina Daccache (a Lebanese actress, director and drama therapist) and the work she does with inmates in Lebanese prisons through her organization Catharsis: The Lebanese Center for Drama Therapy. Often working with those who have committed the most violent crimes, she works with inmates to deal with the emotions surrounding the crimes they’ve committed (or been accused of, as there are cases of corruption and wrongful imprisonment among those she’s worked with) and allowing them to assume roles that help them to work through the trauma they’ve experienced and to bring attention to the state of the Lebanese prison and justice system. The project is the first of its kind in Lebanon and only came about through Daccache’s tireless efforts to bring drama therapy to Lebanese prison’s that had previously been isolated from the public and the media.

The two most notable examples of her work have been in the Roumieh men’s prison and the Baabda women’s prison. In both, Daccache has implemented the same formula, but for very different audiences. In Roumieh, Daccache worked with twelve men to produce their own version of Reginald Rose’s play 12 Angry Men titled 12 Angry Lebanese. The play becomes a role reversal of sorts, where the men who had been judged all or most of their lives become the judges- debating and prosecuting the same society that played a role in their current circumstances. Many of the men had stated that the project was reinvigorating and had helped to restore a sense of humanity in themselves and others. For them, their identities were no longer just associated with being a prisoner or the crime they committed.

In the women’s prison of Baabda, the drama therapy takes on a very different context but has a similar end result. The women and the plays they perform are a discussion surrounding the gender disparities that still exist in Lebanese societies and the painful and damaging outcomes of these inequalities. Their plays often discuss the painful details of topics such as forced marriages, physical and sexual abuse, rape, and neglect and try to break the through the veil of shame and silence that these topics are often shrouded in. In the CNN interview (posted below), Daccache mentions that for many of these women, it was the first time that they had ever discussed what they experienced and lived through. But the result was the same as that of the men’s prison: many of the women walked away feeling empowered and like they had taken control of their histories and their stories. And a similar theme runs through all of their stories: the ability to tell stories that hadn’t been told before.

(Trigger warning for mentions of abuse and sexual violence)

Setting and Ways to use this resource

The two major stakeholders in a project like this could be either students in a peer mediating programs or even those living in communities affected by long histories of ethnic, racial, religious, etc. tensions and violence. Although Drama Therapy requires a certified drama therapist, aspects of it can be implemented in many schools and classrooms. I found that there had often been a strong emphasis on the idea of role-reversal and assuming new points of view, which is essential to resolving conflicts and disputes. By teaching students to reenact the dispute, but through another person’s point of view, students of all ages will learn to approach conflict creatively and while being open towards the experiences of others.

However, I think drama therapy would be most beneficial to communities and peoples where there is long history of trauma and conflict within and between communities. The dramatic and slightly fictionalized aspect of drama therapy offers a safe space to explore emotions that are often raw and too painful to deal with in the “real-world” setting of everyday life. It may also encourage participants to become active participants in the rebuilding process that occurs after prolonged conflicts, empower them to become more than victims of circumstance and begin to chronicle the origins of the conflict.

An advantage of programs centered on drama therapy is that it often employ multiple intelligences all at once. They require engaging our emotional intelligence and building analytical skills. It allows participants to build a small community with one another and create a safe space to explore sometimes-painful topics and subjects, while at the same time increasing participants’ self-esteem and pushing them to become active participants in their lives and communities. Because of the emphasis placed upon role-reversal, participants are able to reframe history not only for themselves but for their audience as well. Through drama therapy, participants are no longer just the subjects, but simultaneously become the creators, writers, and directors. They’re not just writing the beginning, but the resolution as well.

Sources:

Catharsis- Lebanese Center for Drama Therapy

BBC article on Roumieh

CNN article on Baabda

In my search to find organizations or programs that promote and teach peace through creative and artistic means, I found Sonic Peacemakers. The organization was founded by Lanny Cordola a guitarist and Todd Shea, a musician and founder of another organization called SHINE Humanity (Sustainable Healthcare Initiatives Now Empowering Humanity). The duo’s mission was to play music all throughout Pakistan in order to cultivate peace through various creative outlets. Since its formation, the organization has collected a diverse group of musicians from all over the world who travel through Pakistan, playing music and spreading peace.

Another important goal of the organization is to highlight and remind the rest of the world of the impressive and beautiful culture of Pakistan. In order to do so, the musicians collaborate with local musicians and children to create new music. They travel through the darkest areas of Pakistan including Taliban-controlled territories in order to reach out the people, especially the children, and remind them that peace and cooperation are possible even when they seem out of reach. By playing music, they not only empower the people but they also educate everyone involved. Many of these children who are forced to grow up in conflict zones rarely ever get to express themselves. Most don’t even have access to the arts. Sonic Peacemakers brings the arts to these children and help them realize their potentials and remind them that they can achieve more than they’ve been led to believe. Both sides are able to benefit through this organization. The children and the adults of Pakistan feel empowered and motivated, while the musicians explore new cultures and are taught of the beauty of the country and its people.

Sonic Peacemakers has set up several projects one of which was accomplished through the generosity of donors and local musicians. The organization created a four cd set entitled “The Sounds of Pakistan and Beyond” which consists of music from fifty-seven Pakistani artists that donated their music. With the funds collected from the sale of those CDs, the organization purchased guitars, keyboards, flutes, and drums and delivered them to the children of a school in Karachi.

When and What setting can this program be used?

Since music is an all encompassing form of art and communication, I feel that the work done by Sonic Peacemakers can be used in all settings. The program has successfully addressed children and adults alike in some of the most hostile areas of the world and it has led to me to believe that the same can be achieved in any other setting. It doesn’t always have to be used in areas of conflict. School children from all over the world can use this program to learn about each other. There is so much potential to not only teach peace, but also to educate people about the world by introducing new styles of music and bringing various artists together to play. For example, children in Pakistan and the United States can share with each other the types of music they each listen to and play to get an understanding of each others’ cultures. Children from all levels of education can benefit from this program. The same applies to adults as well.-

The Sonic Peacemakers program uses several peace education pedagogies. The most important ones come from the seven pillars of peace education. Community building, engaging multiple intelligences, nurturing emotional intelligence, exploring approaches to peace, transforming conflict nonviolently, and skill building are all achieved through the music program. The most important out of these is the engagement of multiple intelligences. Through this program people are able to engage with their verbal/linguistic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and musical intelligences.

How can this program be implemented?

In order for the Sonic Peacemakers program to be successful, I think it would be important for educators to have strong grasps on music and culture. I think the more educated they are in these areas, the more successful they can be in spreading knowledge about peace and cooperation. Well connected educators are also necessary in order to bring together artists from all over the world. Additionally, support from the local communities, charities, and organizations can really make a difference in how successful the program can be. Through their donations, the organization is able to buy the necessary instruments and tools to spread peace through music.

Who is able to benefit from the program?

I believe that there is great potential for this program to reach out the transform various communities across the globe. There are two specific groups I think could stand to benefit. The first, are people in post-war areas that who are starting the process of rebuilding. Music can be extremely uplifting and it can really help these people as they try and mend their communities. It gives hope to people and keeps them going. A second group that I think would benefit are women who have dealt with violence and abuse. Women can achieve a lot through learning to play, listening to, and actually playing music. Many of these women are in situations that seem hopeless and lonely. Playing music for them and teaching them how to play instruments can give them hope. It can show them that they are capable of doing so much more and that they have something to achieve.

Website: http://www.sonicpeacemakers.org

Prisoners of Peace

A program that started in a women’s prison facility in  Chowilla, Ca in 2009, works on instilling peace within the prison system. In its initial implementation, it focused on female inmates who had life without parole sentences, and now encompasses every category of female inmate at Valley State Prison for Women. The goal is to train inmates to promote peace among themselves.

I found this program when simply typing in prison and peace education. There is another model of peace education that can be found with The Prem Rawat Foundation.

http://thepremrawatfoundation.com/en/programs/peace-education-program

But I found Prisoners of Peace to be an important program to give light to because it was started by an inmate, Susan Russo. This means, that even in a place of great violence, peace can be inspired.  Russo has received the help of experts in peace education and mediation, Laurel Kaufer and Douglas Noll. Prisoners of Peace workshops were based on the book Peale Kills by Robert Bolton. While the program was constructed by Laurel and Doug, the trainings were conducted by certified personnel from Ridge Associates: http://ridge.com/

This type of program can be implemented in any classroom setting, but since it focuses greatly on peace circles, emotion intelligence, and third party neutrality mediation this would be best applied in a similar setting to the prison. This could mean: youth correctional facilities, counselors office, with students who are still within the public school system but have been separated from regular classes.

Because this program has resonated so strongly with the women in prison, it would be beneficial to consider the option of using this in men’s facilities. While some may hesitate to consider this, I would disagree. As the workshop program reflects, the first part of training focuses on reflection. This type of break-down allows oneself to truly focus on what is happening with them, before being asked to consider others. This would, as stated above, also benefit those at a younger level. Starting earlier with children who have already experienced conflict can greatly benefit them in the long term.

To get a better understanding of how these women’s lives have been changed by this program, I have provided a short video below. This video was taken and uploaded by one of the lead peace educators, Dough Noll.

Because this program was set up in a prison and there are very little resources, it was mostly funded by grants and pro-bono work of Kaufer and Noll. An effective training program takes up to 84 hours and 192 professional hours, according to the Prisoners of Peace. These training focus on reflection, listening skill development, emotional reading, peace circles, and neutrality. Something I find very interesting in this program is the educators need to focus on “moral re-engagement”. Since so many of these prisoners have committed murder and are then, sentences to life without parole there is a loss of ethics . This is something to focus on when doing trainings with those who moral compasses may have gone off track.

Based upon the results that Prisoners of Peace has seen, these peace circles and mediation trainings have become very effective within the parts of the prison they are practiced. As noted by Warden Walter Miller, “[s]ince the start of the Prison of Peace program the institution appears quieter and with less violence.” The prison has experienced less fights and more resolution between inmates without any staff interference. Inmates have also been able to use their skills in calming conflicts between staff and inmates.

While still on a small scale, the potential for this program within the prison and correctional systems within the United States is endless. Prisoners of Peace is proof that even the most violent of people can understand peace and use it to do good.

To get more information on the program please go to: http://www.prisonofpeace.org/index.html

To get in contact with the Peace mediators Laurel and Doug, please follow this link: http://www.prisonofpeace.org/contact.html

While searching for innovative ways to teach and promote peace building, I came across an organization that not only achieves these goals, but that also allows young people to explore their creativity. Mentoring Peace Through Art is a Minneapolis based non-profit organization founded by Jimmy Longoria and Connie Fuller. The organization develops art projects aimed at elementary to high school kids throughout the diverse and troubled areas of Minneapolis. They provide the children with opportunities to explore their artistic and creative abilities while promoting peace.

“MuralWorks in the Streets” and “MuralWorks in the Schools” are the two programs made available by the organization. “MuralWorks in the Streets” takes teens to the streets to make over walls ruined by gang graffiti by replacing them with beautiful, colorful art. According to the organization’s website, they have successfully remade 11 walls across the city as of 2012.

MuralWorks in the Schools brings art projects into elementary schools to teach children peace through activities that promote teamwork. Each project assigns individual students with tasks that contribute to a final product.

These programs not only teach young people about team work and the power of art, they also help keep them away from unlawful activities and guide them in positive directions. The efforts made by the organization can help to identify, engage, and promote future leaders while bringing peace to the community.

When, where and in what setting can these programs be used?

I believe that the ideals of Mentoring Peace Through Art and its programs can be applied to any educational setting. Since the main goals of the organization are to promote peace and build cooperation, any member of a community can take part in creating murals and art projects. The great thing about these programs is that they use a tool that is accessible to everyone, art. Allowing people to work together and express their individual creativity while creating artistic pieces that are representative of the community is the perfect way to teach peace. Since these programs have been successful with children and teens in troubled areas, there is a likelihood that it can be successful for people of all ages in various parts of the world.

How these programs can be implemented?

To implement these programs and really make sure they’re beneficial, educators should have strong connections to their communities and their community leaders. They should be well-connected in order to identify areas that need attention and intervention. Additionally, good relations with community leaders can help in gaining the support of the community as a whole. Educators should also be knowledgeable about art in order to develop projects that successfully promote positivity and peace. Strong leadership and communication skills are also important. Several of the seven pillars of peace education can be applied to these programs. Community-building, skill-building, engaging multiple intelligences, and nurturing emotional intelligence can be used with these programs. For example, by engaging people’s creativity, the art programs are able to focus in on engaging multiple intelligences as well as nurturing emotional intelligence.

Through the art programs, both children and adults can gain artistic, social, and team-building skills. In addition, they can learn to appreciate their communities and understand the importance of strengthening them.

Who will benefit?

Although the programs offered by Mentoring Peace Through Art can be beneficial for all, there are two groups they can be especially beneficial for. I think that they can be used by people of troubled areas all over the world. For example, community leaders and educators from cities with violence can take advantage of this program and prevent young people from following those violent paths. Since children are impressionable, educators can implement art programs to show them that they are capable of achieving anything. The programs can open their eyes to the possibilities they have before them. Another group that may benefit are adults who have struggled with the law. I think that these programs can be turned into rehabilitative resources for them. To prevent violence in troubled areas, it it also necessary to give attention to the sources of the violence. The programs can serve not only as outlets for these people but also as resources that allow them to build friendships and connections.

Website: http://www.mentoringpeace.org/

The workshop we all were gratefully a part of last weekend taught me a lot about how to approach peace building. A couple of pillars/ideas that have been stuck in my head are community building and exploration of approaches. Creative peace building has been popularized through art therapy. Art is an expression of feelings and emotions. What art therapy does is give people or a community a way to express their feelings, especially after or during a time of crisis and conflict.

Barefoot Artists is an organization that promotes peace through art. www.barefootartists.org

The organization gives struggling communities access and resources to create art, and every community would have its own distinctive expression. This empowers the people through their own indigenous art and culture. The form of art is usually visual art (drawings, paintings, building, etc.). It allows people to find peace within themselves by expressing their emotions through a visual form. By doing it, people in the community are forced to work together and form a stronger relationship with each other. The organization has transformed a conflicted and struggling community to a stronger, more expressive, and more peaceful one.

One of the things that they have done is transform a mass grave of slain people in Rwanda into an artistic memorial, which the people in the community have highly appreciated. Lily Yeh organized and trained the village people before together they built and crafted this memorial. http://barefootartists.org/projects/the-rwanda-healing-project/genocide-memorial-park/

Educational Setting

I think this resource can be used in various places. Though this organization mostly focuses on international extreme conflict communities, it can be incorporated in a basic classroom or a community in a developed country that may have been hit by a tragedy. A lot of times, kids cannot express their sad feelings through words, and art is a great device to do so. A community such as Newtown, which has been struck by a tremendous tragedy, could be an ideal place to implement this resource.

I would recommend art therapy to elementary school, middle school, high school, and a larger community.

Implementation

For an educator to implement this resource, he or she must acquire art resources (knowledge, people, and tools). Some art experience or skills are required for this to work. As an educational leader promoting art as an expression, he or she needs to be able express his or her own feelings visually. A leadership skill is highly essential to the success of this method. Moving a large group of people that have been struggling from a conflict or a tragedy is not an easy task. This requires a great communication skill. One needs to be able to speak through people’s hearts and somewhat understand their pain.

Multiple intelligence is the applicative pedagogy in this resource, because it requires one to be a proficient and talented educator to be able to execute this.

For people who have been struggling as a community or a group from a never-ending conflict, traumatizing tragedy, and fear of the future, this is a resource that could open your eyes. One simple thing can really make a difference. We never want our communities to be haunted by horrific history; we do not want our kids to grow up only remembering a tragedy and be afraid every day. Art allows us to stand up and express that we want peace in our lives.