Tolerance Over Fear – Refugees You Are Welcome! Erasmus +
Hande Demir and the organization “Limit Gökyüzünde”, organizer of the European program Erasmus + “Tolerance over Fear – Refugees You Are Welcome!” explains the goals of the program to SonDakika.com: “The aim of the project is to understand and reduce Islamophobia in Europe, exploring various aspects of Islam. At the same time, through artistic and other methods, such as theater, role play and yoga, a different view of the refugee issue is cultivated and the participants’ empathy is developed. “
Indeed, the project “Tolerance over Fear – Refugees You Are Welcome!” offered participants from Spain, Sweden, Estonia, Italy, Greece and Turkey a life experience. The young people with their active participation were concerned and brought to the surface new concerns, while their research spirit led them to their in-depth awareness on issues concerning diversity, the group and the individual. The catalyst for the above was the focus of the program’s activities on creative and substantive expression.
Fabrica Athens contributed to the European Erasmus + program by conducting “Research Theater” workshops.
Through the theatrical method developed by Fanis Katechos, which focuses on the human being, and by activating the body in direct action and response, multifaceted goals were achieved: building bonds and relationships between participants, individual expression, expression of ideas and emotions, to the individual and the team, creating a team and team spirit, maintaining the personality within the team, sharing and mixing cultural characteristics, expanding the imagination, creating a group code of communication, overcoming personal obstacles, expanding physical and mental boundaries.
In addition, the Fabrica team held Yoga workshops with Giovanna Michaliadi – Sarti. The practice was used separately and in combination with the theatrical training of the participants and reinforced the purpose of the program.
More specifically: it activated the body and the element of respiration, connected body and mind, brought the person closer to his being, created new balances and relationships between bodies, sharpened the ability to observe without critical mood, while aiming at the recognition of personal thoughts and feelings , in understanding and accepting the present self and the environment, in liberation from thoughts and feelings and in concentration and relaxation in the moment.
This ten-day meeting ended with an interactive performance under the direction of Fabrica Athens. The show was a synthesis of material, ideas and improvisations created by the young people, but also techniques that they practiced with the trainers throughout the project.
This participatory performance was attended by refugees, immigrants, as well as individuals from the Non-Profit Organization ASAM. Participants, organizers and audience, after the show had the opportunity to get to know each other better, but also to enjoy a small circus – spectacle by the Fabrica team.
Visit the following links for more information:
Interview with Hande Demir and Jose Antonio Alvarez: https://www.sondakika.com/haber/haber-erasmus-ogrencisi-34-genc-beypazari-nda-10786478/
Non-Profit Organization “ASAM”: http://en.sgdd.info/
