Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP) methodology fosters intergenerational communication through participatory art forms. In 2020, the MAP manual was developed amongst Co-Investigators as part of the MAP at Home project which included guidance on Drama for Conflict Transformation (DCT). The purpose of this manual was to support the creation of new, locally relevant training and curriculum materials over the four years of the project, developed together with artists, academics, and civil society.
The content of the original MAP manual includes:
SECTION I – Introduction to DCT Methodology and Facilitation (including facilitation and workshop structures)
SECTION II – DCT Activities and Theatre Techniques
SECTION III – Training and Sustainability (this focuses on areas such as Group dynamics, facilitation, building sustainability and participant-led Interactive games)
Handouts (including how to engage community leaders ,a Jokers checklist and so forth)
MAP techniques and exercises
Among some of the key methods explored in the original manual include Image Theatre and Forum Theatre, both theatrical devices which establish dialogue and community problem solving.
Image Theatre: Image theatre was developed by Brazilian director Augusto Boal as a response to government censorship. This technique allows people to use images (frozen tableaux or ‘statues’) to explore real and ideal situations in their lives and communities.
Forum Theatre: Boal created Forum Theatre in an effort to break down the “invisible wall” between the actors and audience in theatre. The goal is for audience members to develop action plans towards the resolution of actual personal conflicts through dramatic interventions. The spectator of the drama does not only watch the performance, but also acts – becoming what Boal called the ‘spect-actor’.
Playback Theatre: originated in the 1970’s, integrating elements of storytelling, ritual, and psychodrama into a participatory form of theatre. The form is based on sharing personal stories, and having the stories ‘played back’ by a group of trained Playback performers.
An example warm-up activity from the MAP manual: Lemonade
Purpose: Practice pantomime and introduce characterization to develop partnership/group work; empathy and trust buidling.
Length: 30 minutes
Number of Participants: 6 or more Age Level: 8 and up
Materials/Props: None
Approach:
- Divide participants evenly into two lines and direct the lines to stand about twenty feet apart, facing each other.
- Instruct the participant teams to secretly decide upon a trade or occupation to act out for the other team to guess.
- After the two teams have decided upon their occupation, instruct them to return to their line, facing the opposite team.
- Instruct the teams to repeat the following lines and for the first team to begin: First team: “Here we come.” Second team: “Where from?” First team: “New York.” Second team: “What’s your trade?” First team: “Lemonade” Second team: “Give us some if you’re not afraid”.
- After the participants have learned their dialogue, direct each team to simultaneously take one step forward as they say their line of dialogue.
- Explain that after saying the final line, “Give us some if you’re not afraid,” the first team should act out their trade or occupation. The second team must then try to guess the trade that the first team is acting out. The first team should continue to pantomime until the first team guesses the correct answer.
- Once the second team calls out the correct answer, direct second team participants to try to tag members of the first team, who in turn must try to run back to their starting line without being tagged. Anyone who is tagged must join the second team.
- Direct the second team to quietly share their agreed upon trade with any new members, allow the teams to repeat the dialogue above. This time however, the second team should start the dialogue and call out the lines that the first team used in the previous round.
- Ensure that both teams are allowed the same number of turns. The team which has the largest number of players at the end wins.
Piloting an Arts Education Framework in Nepal (2024)
From October 2023 to July 2024, a research team from Kathmandu University partnered with Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP) to develop a pilot Nepal Arts Education Framework. The goal was to adapt and integrate MAPs art-based exercises into existing secondary school curricula for Culture and Arts Education. This was a need articulated at the UNESCO-MAP Roundtable in September 2023. The pilot Framework provides a case study and resource to inform the implementation of the UNESCO Framework on Culture and Arts Education (February 2024) and support the UNESCO Creative Cities designation of Kathmandu (January 2024), as well as the Local Education planning currently underway.
A group of five MPhil in STEAM Education students from the Department of STEAM Education at Kathmandu University School of Education in Nepal developed 20 integrated arts-based lessons and trialed them in both public and private secondary school classes from January – February 2024, in the Kathmandu Valley and beyond. There is a complementary report documenting the learnings from the MPhil students piloting the 20 lessons outlined in this document. The intention is that together these learnings provide the foundation for an integrated Nepal Arts Education Framework, to be further developed and rolled out with a wide network of stakeholders.
