The Slifka Program, Coexistence International, and Theatre Without Borders present:

Acting Together on the World Stage:Setting the Scene for Peace
Actuando Juntos: Trabajando Por la Paz en el Escenario Mundial

October 4-8, 2007
Brandeis University
Waltham, MA



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Pieces of the Coexistence Puzzle: Part II



Iran/Israel/U.S. Relations


A play, Benedictus, is a joint production of Iranian, Israeli, and American theatre artists who share concerns about the escalating tensions as evidenced by the harsh rhetoric coming from the government officials in Iran, Israel, and the U.S.  The theatre artists involved in this production welcome interaction with coexistence practitioners and others with expertise in relevant history, culture, and politics, to assist them in assessing their work and its potential as a resource for re-humanizing members of these adversary communities in each others’ eyes and for influencing policy (U.S. policies in particular) in order to minimize the possibility of a violent encounter between their countries.  They also invite coexistence practitioners and peacebuilders to examine the possibilities of artistic expression in relation to peacebuilding in the region.


Questions for Discussion:

  • As we approach Benedictus from our respective disciplines and sensibilities, how do we assess this play? Is it a “responsible” work in peacebuilding/coexistence terms? Must artists be “responsible” to goals beyond truthful and aesthetic representation?
  • To what coexistence purposes does the work lend itself? How does artwork fit into the context of societies facing violent conflict? What is the role of contextualization of art towards the goal of humanizing adversarial groups?
  • In practical implementation, what peacebuilding purposes did the producers of the play, both at Siena College and in San Francisco, pursue? What events did they structure around the play?  Were these successful? And what other opportunities exist?  
      • Who was invited to see the play? In what combinations? How could goals around audience composition be explored and expanded?
      • Could a play like Benedictus (and activities that could surround it) influence the spectrum of opinions in the Iranian and Israeli diaspora communities in the United States as they are struggling to make sense of themselves as neighbors, and of political discourses of their own and each others “home countries”? Could it help create more spaces for dialogue within and between these communities? How?
      • Could the play influence American voters and policy-makers? How?
  • Can the positive possibilities of this play be maximized without it becoming overly instrumentalized and losing its artistic power? What are the limitations or dangers of leveraging cultural productions into the public discourse?
  • What has been learned by the theatre artists through this collaboration, and what could be learned through an analysis of their process, that might be of use for diplomats and peacebuilding practitioners who often work on foreign policy issues in isolation from the influences of other disciplines? What could be of use about the process itself, bringing together individuals from three antagonistic countries and setting up a context for them to work in collaboration toward a common goal? What could the artists teach coexistence practitioners about the actual process of intercultural dialogue in practice?

Background Reading:

Participants:

  • Kevin Clements (Facilitator) is the Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies of the Australian Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Queensland, and former Secretary General for International Alert.
  • Leslie Kingsley (Rapporteur) is currently a Human Resources Manager at the Archdiocese of Boston.
  • Sanam Anderlini is an independent researcher, trainer, advisor, and analyst working with the UN, World Bank, and bilateral donors on issues of gender, peace, and security.
  • Alicia Anstead is an arts and culture Neiman Fellow at Harvard University and senior arts and culture writer for the Bangor Daily News in Maine.
  • Gordie Fellman has been a professor of Sociology at Brandeis University for over 40 years.  He also directs the Peace, Conflict, and Coexistence Studies minor on campus.
  • Zafar Habib works as Project Director and Legislative Capacity Coordinator at Pakistan Legislative Strengthening Project PLSP.  He is currently a student in the MA Program in Coexistence and Conflict at Brandeis.
  • Mahmood Karimi-Hakak is a native of Iran, now an associate professor of creative arts and producer of theatre at Siena College.  He is a poet, theatre director, filmmaker, and the artistic director of Mahak International Artists, Inc.
  • Roberta Levitow is a founding member of Theatre Without Borders and has directed over 50 productions in NYC, LA, and nationally, with a particular emphasis on developing original writing and new American work.
  • Bryan McAllister-Grande is Assistant Director of the Office of Global Affairs at Brandeis, which was created in 2007 to enhance collaboration between the Brandeis community and support international activities, programs, research and service.
  • Danny Michaelson helped create Bennington College’s mediation curriculum, and is a certified Mediation Trainer.  He is also co-director of Quantum Leap, a program for truants and at-risk students in Bennington County.
  • Naveed Nour is an artist and photographer who born 1963 in Cologne, Germany to Iranian parents.  During the 1980-1988 Iran/Iraq war, he traveled throughout Iran and documented the social-economical effects of war on society.
  • Lee Perlman is Director of Programs at the Abraham Fund Initiatives in Israel and Lecturer at Tel Aviv University and has an extensive career in the field of Israeli education.
  • Naghmeh Sohrabi is the Assistant Director for Research at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies, Brandeis University.
  • John Tirman is the Executive Director of the Center for International Studies at MIT and former Executive Director of the Winston Foundation for World Peace.
  • Tracy Wallach is an independent consultant and facilitator who does organizational and leadership consulting.  She specializes in promoting productive communication among disparate elements of an organization and facilitating successful collaboration and teamwork.