Uk Tour Documentation

8/8/2019 Uk Tour Documentation

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Documentation of

Combatants for PeaceUK Tour

22-30 July 2010

Hosted byEncounters

Encounters offer imaginative spaces and processes for people toexplore their relationship with themselves, each other, wherethey live and the wider natural world.www.encounters-arts.org
http://www.encounters-arts.org/http://www.encounters-arts.org/http://www.encounters-arts.org/


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Combatants for Peace UK Tour

July 2010

In his dual role as a creative Director of Encounters and UK representative ofCombatants for Peace(CfP), Ben Yeger worked with partners in Israel, Palestine andthe UK to bring 16 members of theTul-Karem / Tel- Aviv group, one of the five bi-national local activist groups operating in Israel/Palestine, to the UK in July 2010. Thisunique group uses theatre as a tool for dialogue, action and transformation andEncounters hosted a 10-day tour of public events for this group to share their personalstories and non-violent, creative methods for resolving conflict.

For an organisation whose bi-nationalmembers routinely risk arrest and resentmentfrom within their own communities simply formeeting together, this extraordinary UK visitoffered a safe space for CfP members todeepen relationships and resolve conflictwithin their group. The movement started in2005 by Palestinians who had been part of theviolent struggle against the occupation, andIsraelis who had fought in the Israeli army.Having put down their arms, Combatants forPeace members are engaged in a non-violent struggle against the Israeli occupationand for a viable peace in the area. They are committed to using dialogue andreconciliation as a way to promote the establishment of a Palestinian state with itscapital in East Jerusalem, alongside the State of Israel.

Tour Schedule

Day 1-4 : WarringtonThe tour started at the Warrington Peace Centre(www.foundation4peace.org) and the group spent thefirst two days in an internal creative conflict resolutionprocess joined on day three by members of Survivorsfor Peace who are people who have been directlyaffected by violent conflict. That evening there was a

presentation by Jo Berry, whose father was killed bythe IRA in the bombing of the 1984 Tory Partyconference in Brighton, and Pat Magee one of thebombers, who told their own extra ordinary story ofreconciliation (see -www.buildingbridgesforpeace.orgfor their story).
http://www.combatantsforpeace.org/http://www.combatantsforpeace.org/http://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.foundation4peace.org/http://www.foundation4peace.org/http://www.foundation4peace.org/http://www.buildingbridgesforpeace.org/founders_story.htmlhttp://www.buildingbridgesforpeace.org/founders_story.htmlhttp://www.buildingbridgesforpeace.org/founders_story.htmlhttp://www.buildingbridgesforpeace.org/founders_story.htmlhttp://www.foundation4peace.org/http://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/cfp-dates-2010.htmlhttp://www.combatantsforpeace.org/


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On the final day in Warrington, Chen Alon (CfP co founder), Ben Yeger(Encounters/CfP) and other members of CfP led Rainbow of Identities an experientialworkshop for the public, members of Survivors for Peace members and the CfP group.The workshop explored the complexities of conflict, using Augusto Boal theatre of theoppressed techniques.

That evening sixty members of the public attended the first No Victory in Violence ofthe tour, an evening where CfP members shared their journeys from division andviolence, towards non-violence and peace. This event was conducted usingBoalsForum Theatreand the telling of personal stories.
http://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/docs/Rainbow+of+Identities+Workshop+description.pdfhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/docs/Rainbow+of+Identities+Workshop+description.pdfhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/docs/Rainbow+of+Identities+Workshop+description.pdfhttp://www.beyondthedoor.co.uk/forumtheatre2.htmhttp://www.beyondthedoor.co.uk/forumtheatre2.htmhttp://www.beyondthedoor.co.uk/forumtheatre2.htmhttp://www.beyondthedoor.co.uk/forumtheatre2.htmhttp://www.beyondthedoor.co.uk/forumtheatre2.htmhttp://www.beyondthedoor.co.uk/forumtheatre2.htmhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/docs/Rainbow+of+Identities+Workshop+description.pdf


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Combatants for Peace must really understand about peacemaking - we have a lotto learn from them, they have a lot to shareWarrington participant- Member of Survivors for Peace

Day 5 : Peak District

The group took time to reflectin nature and absorb theintense first stage of the tourthrough a walking trip in thePeak District in Yorkshire.

This allowed for muchneeded time to rest andregroup following the intensepublic engagement that had

gone before at Warrington.


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Encounters increasingly work to develop peoples relationship with the natural world asa way of bringing perspective, peace and new insights to personal and relationshipconflict. Much of the Israeli/Palestinan conflict is rooted in conflict over land and beingnourished by the wild, vast and publicly accessible landscape of the Peak Districtalongside each other was an important part of the group process.

Day 6-7 : Coventry

The group travelled to Coventry where they were hosted by the Centre for Peace andReconciliation at Coventry University.

Coventry is the UK city of Peace andReconciliation and the group touredthe city visiting the famous CoventryCathedral and visiting the Herbert ArtGallery and Museum with its wingdedicated to Peace andReconciliation, learning about otherPeace processes. The Rainbow ofIdentities workshop was facilitatedagain this time with students from allover the world who were attending theCoventry University internationalsummer school for peace andreconciliation.

The No Victory in Violence evening was presented in Coventry, attended by sixtypeople.

Its interesting to use the medium of Theatreand very encouraging to seeJewish people and Palestinians working together in this way. And if only thiscould grow and develop more then perhaps there is a hope that more people cansee some hope for the futureCoventry audience member


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Day 810 : London

Four members of the CfP group sharedtheir personal journeys from division and

violence towards non-violence and peace inan evening at the Frontline Club(www.frontlineclub.com) in London. Theevent was chaired by Ian Black, theGuardians former Middle East editor andwas attended by 120 members of the publicthat were moved and inspired to hear ofgrass roots non violent work.

Day nine was the last public day of the tour. It started with Adrian Jackson, a leadingexpert on the Theatre of the Oppressed, and Artistic Director of Cardboard CitizensTheatre Companyleading - Rainbow of Occupationan experiential Theatre of theOppressed workshop that Adrian devised specifically for the CfP visit. The workshopwas attended by the CfP group and forty members of the general public.
http://www.frontlineclub.com/http://www.frontlineclub.com/http://www.frontlineclub.com/http://www.cardboardcitizens.org.uk/http://www.cardboardcitizens.org.uk/http://www.cardboardcitizens.org.uk/http://www.cardboardcitizens.org.uk/http://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/docs/rainbow+of+occupation.pdfhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/docs/rainbow+of+occupation.pdfhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/docs/rainbow+of+occupation.pdfhttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/docs/rainbow+of+occupation.pdfhttp://www.cardboardcitizens.org.uk/http://www.cardboardcitizens.org.uk/http://www.frontlineclub.com/


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What I like is the optimism, the proofthat Theatre can change things. Its verystrong for me to point to groups (likeCfP) working in the real world - and

every time Im blown away, Im movedAdrian Jackson

The final evening in the UK culminated in another No Victory in Violence evening atAmnesty Internationalshuman rights action centre. Amnesty were partners in the tourand the evening was chaired by Kristyan Benedict, Campaign Manager for, AmnestyInternational UK. The event included a presentation of Forum Theatre and powerfulpersonal stories from two of the co founders of combatants for peace, Nour AldinShehada and Chen Alon. The event was attended by two hundred and fifty people andthe final days workshop and evening raised 1400 for CfP .

Amnesty International were delighted to work with Combatants for Peace in 2010and to support them in our shared aim of seeing Israelis and Palestinians living

peacefully together with their human rights and dignity respected and protected.They are remarkable, tenacious and inspiring individuals and as a collective anexample of what being the change you want to see in the world looks like. The useof Forum Theatre was innovative and effective. It allowed a creative gateway tochannel highly complex issues present in the conflict in an engaging wayTheperformances and the interactions they created were played out with anunderlying spirit that the current conflict is not inevitable and indeed should notbe inevitable.Kristyan Benedict Campaigns Manager, Amnesty International UK
http://www.amnesty.org.uk/http://www.amnesty.org.uk/http://www.amnesty.org.uk/


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Conclusions / Reflections

The visit of 16 members of Combatants forPeace in July was very full, intense,challenging and without a doubt a hugesuccess. The tour had high impact and was

deeply transformative for all who took part;members of combatants for peace, workshopparticipants, audiences, partner organisations,funders. Through initial evaluation with Israeli,Palestinian and other UK based participantsthe impact has clearly been multi faceted,touching people on emotional, intellectual andpolitical levels. The full impact on the 16members of CfP is in the process of beingfully evaluated and a report will be produced.However it is clear that this unique project met

many of its original aims; to strengthenrelationships between the Israelis and Palestinians, to have time to plan for the futurework, to share the difficult realities of building bridges for peace between the twopeoples, to share the vitally important work that CfP do in Israel and Palestine with wideand diverse audiences.

Throughout the tour creative methods were used to explore conflict and tell the stories oftransformation from violence to non-violence. The overwhelming response from all whocame in contact with the tour was that this approach was potent and powerful, creating a

gateway for understanding these issues in a new way.


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Outcomes from the tour

Number of new people we have engaged with through the public events andTheatre workshops - approx 500

Press coverage; local radio coverage at each location, BBC world service, TV -BBC world, Arabic world service, Newspapers - Observer on Sunday, Palestine

Solidarity campaign magazine, Church Times, Jewish Chronicle, AmnestyInternational magazine

Relationships strengthened ; Amnesty International UK (AIUK) - have committedto partnering and co funding another UK CfP visit in 2011 and supporting thedevelopment of Cfp work in Palestine/Israel, Tom Clark - one of the main fundersof the tour is committed to deepening his relationship with CfP and Encounters,Adrian Jackson (Cardboard Citizens) will continue to offer Specialist Theatre ofthe Oppressed work within future CFP tours, The owner of the Frontline Club hasinvited CfP back for future events

A film and exhibit commissioned by the Herbert Gallery in Coventry as part of the2010 Peace Festival

Following attendance at the Amnesty No Victory for Violence event, a youngJewish Woman who will be cycling across the world on a peace pilgrimage toarrive in Palestine/Israel, has decided to dedicate funds raised to CfP.

The Future

We are in the process of planning another CfP visit to the UK in 2011 that willinclude the six CfP regional co-coordinators. This will be residential in Encounters

new home on the Dartington Estate. It will include a series of public events in theSouth West then a two day workshop in London with Adrian Jackson, artisticDirector of Cardboard Citizens and another series of Public events at the FrontLine Club and Amnesty International.

Ben Yeger and Basam Aramin (Palestinian founder member of CfP now studyingat Bradford University on the Peace Studies course) will be joining PoliticalComedian Mark Thomas on his comedy tour of the UK where he tells his story ofwalking along the Israeli built dividing wall and his encounters with people alongthe way including CfP.

Ben Yeger and Bassam Aramin will also do a small tour around a variety ofvenues in the South West in collaboration with the Forgiveness project

(http://theforgivenessproject.com/). This tour will include personal stories and ashort creative workshop.
http://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/currentprojects.htm#coventrypeacehttp://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/currentprojects.htm#coventrypeacehttp://theforgivenessproject.com/http://theforgivenessproject.com/http://theforgivenessproject.com/http://theforgivenessproject.com/http://www.encounters-arts.org.uk/currentprojects.htm#coventrypeace

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