Educational Programs in Germay, Russia and Ukraine
Stories of Human Rights
Three countries. Three Programs. Hundreds of Stories.
Stories of Human Rights aimed to raise awareness about human rights, while creating a space for international sharing and exchange of our local realia. The power of stories has been used as a key tool to inspire action to contribute to an inclusive society in our communities where there is respect for cultural diversity and human rights.
The project consisted of three main 8-day events: in Ukraine(July 2018), Germany(November 2018) and Russia(February 2019).
The project consisted of three main 8-day events: in Ukraine(July 2018), Germany(November 2018) and Russia(February 2019).
84
Participants engaged in events from Germany, Ukraine and Russia
168
Hours of Storytelling Workshops
50780
People the project reached out to through our online and offline channels
The Challenge
Every event brought together 28 youngsters from Germany, Ukraine, Russia. They worked with different artistic methods like theater of the oppressed, storytelling, performance, creative writing and other to explore the topic of Human Rights. Together we collected and shared stories related to different aspects of human rights... our personal stories... stories from our communities, locals, stakeholders, human rights activists... stories of violation and celebration of human rights... stories that are touching... stories that inspire...
Chapter 1. Lviv
Learning Method: Theatre of the Oppressed
Result: Forum Theatre Performance on LGBT Rights
Result: Forum Theatre Performance on LGBT Rights
Through name and group building activities we already jumped actively into exercises of the theater of the oppressed. What are you expectations from this project? Don't say it, but show it. Later we started an investigation in our own behavior towards others and our prejudices in social interaction. How do we treat people in everyday lives? Do we treat a doctor differently in comparison to a pregnant woman or a prostitute. How would we treat Donald Trump and how would we treat Angela Merkel? With this exercise we started to dive into the topic of human rights. Which human rights exist? Have I experienced violations of the rights? Did iI only witness it or have my rights been violated. This way we shared personal stories of Human Rights as testimony for everybody to see how close Human Rights affect the world but as well us in our communities.
"You are nobody here", "You are too smart to be a women", "Who are you?", "It is ok. They are blond.", "This is not your place". Starting with simple sentences of oppression participants developed theater scenes about simple, daily live oppression in order to approach the topic of oppression. Afterwards the group was introduced into their first forum theater scene "the march". A extreme simple performative scene about oppression. What is oppression. And who is oppressed and why? Can the oppressed do something to get out of its position. Don't talk about it, but act it out. Take the role of one character and let's see how the situation changes. We are not looking for the ideal solution, we are looking for real life options!
"We are all actors: being a citizen is not living in society, it is changing it." Augusto Boal
In the morning we introduced the basic idea of the concept Theater of the oppressed. Augusto Boal, it's founder aims to inspire people to get active in their own communities. He wants to motivate people not only to be a spectator in their lives but an spec-actor to get involved and become active game changers in their environment. Afterwards we jumped directly into political theater using human right based newpaper articles and converted them into theatral art pieces.
In the morning we introduced the basic idea of the concept Theater of the oppressed. Augusto Boal, it's founder aims to inspire people to get active in their own communities. He wants to motivate people not only to be a spectator in their lives but an spec-actor to get involved and become active game changers in their environment. Afterwards we jumped directly into political theater using human right based newpaper articles and converted them into theatral art pieces.
From the stories of human rights we gathered so far people were asked to share them with the whole group in order to create images of oppression and later on to search for solutions for this specific images.
Democracy is not always easy. Generally people are used to get lead though a big part of their lives whether they go to school or they work in their job. They are not often asked to organize something all by themselves. At this point participants were asked to get together and decide what will come up now. Which scene they want to do. Which topic they want to choose. It was a long process, but at one point they made their decision. As one participant wrote in the evaluation what they learned is that democracy is not easy. But this is one thing human rights are about. It is not black and white but there are so many opinions in between. In the end, after long discussions, participants found the topic and the scene they wanted to work on.
Everybody was working together for the final performance. A script was written, research was done, the actors and facilitators were chosen, material lists were created and a performance as introduction was made. The final scene broached the issue of self-employed decision making of a child of a quite conservative family and gender rights.
Finally the day of the presentation has come. Last preparations of the room have been made and the actors and facilitators have been trained. And at 16:30 the audience, a mix between young people, older visitors of the public library and artists came and the performance started. It was unbelievable how the audience took part in this interactive play and how they found new solutions to this issue we showed. It was because on one hand we chose a relatable scene the audience had experienced before, but as well on the other hand because of the amazing skills of the group and especially of the facilitators guidance through the scene made the whole presentation an extreme success.
After having the intense 8 days we had to say goodbye with so many hugs and some tears. But not without writing everybody some nice message on their back, which they could read when they finally arrived at home. And it is not the End. The project will live on in Germany and Russia in 2018 and 2019. So we will meet again. And even if it's not in the project, one thing is clear: You always meet twice in your live.
We want to thank everybody for an amazing project, for all the monkeys and coconuts, for the hugs and kisses, for the music, inspiration, for John Travolta and the Funky Chicken, for inspiring talks, for open minds, for error-friendliness, for trust in the trainers, for beautiful pictures, for the amazing food in the cultural night, for the power of endurance, for practical suggestions and hilarious gossips.
Thank you and good night,
* The Stories of Human Rights in Lviv Participants
Thank you and good night,
* The Stories of Human Rights in Lviv Participants
Chapter 2. Bremen
Learning Methods: Creative Writing and Interactive Storytelling
Results: Videos about human rights & a Magazine
Results: Videos about human rights & a Magazine
During the 8 days we laughed, we learned, we felt deeply connected to each other and we were insanely productive.
Time flies! The second part of our project brought together 24 young adults from Germany, Russia and Ukraine to learn about human rights and explore them through creative storytelling.
We had workshops providing us with information about human rights, connecting it to storytelling. We told our own, personal story. Stories about human rights: my rights, about your rights about the right from all of us.
In sessions about creative writing we wrote stories together, discussed and exchanged opinions. We had workshops about political theater, making us reflect about discrimination in daily life and how we could react to it. In workshops about dancing, we learned how to express ourselves only by movement. To express our emotions and our stories. From this variety of creative inspiration and information about human rights we composed various theater scenes, short-stories and videos
We had workshops providing us with information about human rights, connecting it to storytelling. We told our own, personal story. Stories about human rights: my rights, about your rights about the right from all of us.
In sessions about creative writing we wrote stories together, discussed and exchanged opinions. We had workshops about political theater, making us reflect about discrimination in daily life and how we could react to it. In workshops about dancing, we learned how to express ourselves only by movement. To express our emotions and our stories. From this variety of creative inspiration and information about human rights we composed various theater scenes, short-stories and videos
"Something something" is a magazine created by participants in Bremen. It represents personal stories. Stories of human rights: my rights, your rights about the right from all of us.
Chapter 3. Krasnodar
Learning Methods: Performance and Storytelling
Results: Performances about Human Rights
[partly videotaped below]
Results: Performances about Human Rights
[partly videotaped below]
"Stories of Human Rights" engages in discussion, fosters critical reflection and debate. From understanding of the value of human rights in everyday life and in different cultures we get to know What are human rights? Where do we encounter human rights? Why and how do I practice human rights? How it impacts me and my environment? What are violations of human rights? How can I communicate differences our societies face? How I engage and how can I engage others to protect human rights? How I become more active/make an impact? We want to show that that human rights are not just statements in official documents, but a living mechanism which everybody could practice and shape.
What are Your Labels?
People like to label. A lot. They may tell you they don't, but it's not true. Labeling helps people make sense of their world. Helps them see if they can trust you and what to do with you. Where to put you and how to judge you accordingly. It makes them feel safe despite it dividing us.
Keep pondering and keep asking questions to find your own answers.
People like to label. A lot. They may tell you they don't, but it's not true. Labeling helps people make sense of their world. Helps them see if they can trust you and what to do with you. Where to put you and how to judge you accordingly. It makes them feel safe despite it dividing us.
Keep pondering and keep asking questions to find your own answers.
What are Your Labels?
The Performance has been prepared by the participants of the program "Stories of Human Rights" and has been implemented in Krasnodar.
You Should Smile More
Women feel so much pressure to look good being constantly bombarded by messages from society and the media that reduce a woman's worth to her appearance. No wonder so many of us are plagued by body image issues being told you were "too fat" or "too plain," followed by "You should smile more"
Keep pondering and keep asking questions to find your own answers.
Women feel so much pressure to look good being constantly bombarded by messages from society and the media that reduce a woman's worth to her appearance. No wonder so many of us are plagued by body image issues being told you were "too fat" or "too plain," followed by "You should smile more"
Keep pondering and keep asking questions to find your own answers.
You Should Smile More
The Performance has been prepared by the participants of the program "Stories of Human Rights" and has been implemented in Krasnodar.
Stories of Human Rights is a result of cooperation between 3 NGOs: NGO ITTA from Ukraine, Culture.World.Me. from Germany and Accademy of Innovation from Russia. Those NGOs work together to make this project a success. The project is funded by the program Meet up: Deutsch-Ukrainische Jugendbegegnungen Німецько-Українські зустрічі Robert Bosch Stiftung EVZ Foundation and Auswärtiges Amt
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