In the recent refugee crisis, cultural differences between the refugees and the local population in Europe are portrayed as a main obstacle for integration and as an element that increases the reluctance of the local population in certain countries to accept positively refugees in their own communities. This is also the reason why many times refugees from Ukraine (that make part of the European culture), for example, are usually more positively accepted than refugees from the Middle East. In many cases, however, cultural differences are only apparent. European countries and the countries of the Middle East (especially Syria) from which most of the refugees are coming from share many cultural characteristics especially related with the popular culture…
Description
Aims
The project aims to use fairy tales as a tool in order to increase mutual understanding and acceptance between the refugees and the local population. It aims to develop common performances (developed with the cooperation between refugees and local artists) where fairy tales which present common characteristics between the country of origin and the host countries of the refugees are presented both to refugees and the local population. These theatre performances are going to be organized both in the refugee language and in the European languages in order to allow the participation of both groups without any language barrier. They are going to be combined with interactive theatre games that will allow the active participation of all the participants…
The project will realise first a research that will identify and register the common elements and the common motifs in popular fairy tales. On the basis of this research, scenarios are going to be developed and the performances are going to be prepared. The performances are going to be compiled first as a structure and then as a text and a stage action. They will include acting as well as interactive theatre games. Through this compilation, the partners will take case in order to save as many as possible elements of the popular tradition, including both these elements of their country and the common elements with the countries of the refugees…
Activities
Impact
The impact of the project will be the following:
– increased knowledge about the culture of their host country through the fairy tales. The refugees will learn with a pleasant and amusing way basic elements of the popular tradition of their host country.
– increased awareness of the similarities of the culture of their host country with their own culture. The refugees will understand the common elements between the culture of their host country and their own culture, fact which will increase the sense of belonging in the host society.
– increased professional skills in the artistic and theatre field for the refugees that are going to participate in the development and implementation of the theatrical performance…