Goals

Problem statement:

In the hostile and xenophobic society, where minority groups are sidelined and suffer discrimination, children of minority communities need special attention. The every year the annual reports of the public defender depict an intolerant and violent country.

Most of ethnic and language minority children study in special public schools which creates a safe environment for them, but does not help them integrate. The children of minority religious communities, who study in ordinary public schools, and especially in private secondary schools, are exposed to the violence and humiliation first of all from the side of the teachers due to poor cross-cultural understanding.

This children need a special space, where they feel safe but not sidelined, where they can feel as a part the rest of the society. There are various educational programs, where they study and share with other youngsters and this helps a lot. We thought of the project where they could create something beautiful together.

Proposed Solution:

The Evangelical Baptist Church of Georgia has a small theater run by the amateurs. Directors and actors are volunteers who want to try their gifts and abilities in something new. For the last twenty years at least two performances a year are created (mainly for Christmas and Easter Celebrations). Sometimes it is a remake of the popular novel, or a play, and sometimes the play is original, created by the members of the group. Also they teach acting and make short plays at summer camps.

The church also has a program called the Peace Academy. The project brings together the children of diverse ethnic and religious communities for a summer camp and monthly talks about human rights, tolerance, equality, peace and diversity.

What for the last two years these two directions theater and peace academy have come together to create the Ecumenical and Interfaith Peace Theatre. They come together to study acting, to talk about the development of the character, and go to theaters and watch movies together and then discuss about the acting and characters.

To function better, the theater needs lighting equipment and stage props/accessories.

Sustainability:

Ecumenical and Interfaith Peace Theatre will continue work and offer minimum 1 performance per quarter.

The next play, which is planned for 2017, is going to be about the diversity and uniformity. How comfortable and safe can be a uniform community and for them any kind diversity or unusual color can be a danger or a threat. The story will be about a little girl with unusual gift of communication.

Besides this, members of the theater often bring their friends for help/participation (which are from different religious or ethnic groups) and friendship circle gradually increases.

Equal gender opportunity:

The Ecumenical and Interfaith Peace Theatre is open for representatives of all gender groups, furthermore specific of the work itself requires people of different age and gender.