Peace Culture Initiative for NGOs

This initiative uses drama to highlight the role of local NGOs in conflict resolution and encourage peaceful living in the Nuba Mountains.

Description

At Elgabas we try to avoid giving lectures about conflict resolution. Instead, we find drama is a good way to send a message. A volunteer from Dilling University, a teacher of psychology, used our idea of making a workshop about conflict, and changed our lecture to a drama show. We produced this show, called "conflict resolution", with people from conflicting tribes (to give the drama a sense of reality), choosing actors who were already active in community drama activities. We then sent invitations to organisations working in peace-building and community building plus a wide range of others involved in community participation, for the broadest possible impact.

Aims / Objectives

We aim to have a broad understanding of conflict resolution, in order to affect the situation in the Nuba Mountains. Every now and then the different tribes of Arab and Nuba here restart dormant conflicts. The community leaders and local NGOs saw that if they were aware enough they would be more helpful in remedying this situation.

How it is Articulated

Each part of the three-part drama contains a message. The first part teaches the importance of living in peace and what we are going to gain from this. The second part is about the role of local NGOs and communities in conflict resolution, connecting this with the history of Sudan. The third part contains the message that there are many examples of solving conflicts in the customs and tradition of our community.

Achievements / Learning points

This initiative was followed by a wide Council for solving conflict, created as its outcome. From community leaders and the many efforts from locals to participate in conflict resolution with many tribes, and from the applications we received to hold another drama initiative like this one, we know our work has gone well. Our advice for other organisations is to keep trying until they manage to find the best way to send a message to their community.

Geographical Area of Operation

Dilling

Funding Resources

From our organisation members. The executive director and all the organisation staff contributed their own money to hold this initiative; even the guard and cleaner of the organisation participated in this despite their little income.

Organisations Involved

Elgabas and AZZA