wolf + water arts company

Semat is a youth theatre company based in Jakarta who, supported by search for common ground, came together to work on issues of communal and inter-communal conflict. We were asked to provide training in developing and devising theatre intervention work to empower semat to work within their own communities in developing peace building activities.

Aceh in northern sumatra was one of the regions most affected by the 2004 tsunami. Prior to the devastation of the wave the area had been in the grips of a thirty year conflict which saw the region divided into sections which were controlled by either government or anti government (GAM) forces and factions. The tsunami to some extent signalled a new phase and lessening of tensions, clashes were replaced by cooperation.

This project, with the support of the Norwegian Government, brings participants from across the Former Yugoslavia together for intense courses on conflict management development issues with particular reference to the Balkans situations.

Fredskorpset is a norwegian organisation that promotes international development through professional exchange programmes in which “south” participants from south america, africa & south east asia do an extended “job swap” with a norwegian from a partner organisation.

A series of twice yearly week long residential training courses with trainee teachers from the university of Skopje, to, over a number of years, teach & train them to develop a whole curiculum & approach to education that took into account Macedonia’s ethnic tensions, & to use school & education as a way of addressing some of these issues.

A twice a year five day block of training & supervising psychologists from the “little star” centre in grozny, chechnya, who work with children traumatised by the war there.

An 8 day workshop for the centre for peace building and community development, training schools workers in psycho social & interactive techniques for schools work in the prigorodny region of north ossetia at a time at which post beslan apprehension in the area was extremely acute.

This three week project brought together people involved or living in conflict zones throughout the world, principally the Balkans, Middle East & Northern Ireland & also from Norway, to meet together, explain & debate their conflicts & look at ways of sharing experiences, good practice & potential solutions. Wolf & Water ran a four day programme around group identities & histories & their roles in conflict.

Is designed specifically for professionals working with young people in schools, youth clubs & detention centres & focuses on using dramatic approaches of behaviour modification & dealing with conflict situations, big & small.

The plight of the immigrant & refugee is one of the biggest issues of our time as worldwide borders break down. The refugees’ experience of being in a foreign land where to them, the language, culture & way of life can be alien, & where they might be seen by members of that society as “the alien” can be difficult enough.