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



Inter-ethnic relations in post-war Serbia


This workshop will focus on the role of civil society and, in particular, cultural organizations and artists, in strengthening inter-ethnic relations in Serbia. It is animated by the experiences and the on-going commitments of Dah Teatar Research Centre in Belgrade - whose motto is “In the contemporary world, destruction and violence can only be opposed by the creation of sense” -  and the Project on Ethnic Relations, an NGO dedicated to reducing inter-ethnic conflict in Central and Eastern Europe and in the former Soviet Union.  The workshop will focus on complementary and creative approaches that can effectively engage theatre artists and coexistence practitioners in Serbia and their colleagues in the United States in an effort to improve inter-ethnic relations in Serbia.


Questions for Discussion:

  • What roles do culture and arts organizations play in fostering coexistence in Serbia? Could their contributions be enhanced? What challenges do they face?
  • What roles do coexistence organizations play in strengthening intergroup relations in Serbia? Could their contributions be enhanced? What challenges do they face?
  • Could collaborations between coexistence organizations and theatrical/cultural organizations strengthen the impact of both sectors? What challenges would such collaborations face?
  • What role does government cultural policy play in supporting arts in Serbia at this time? Does government funding affect the role that arts organizations play in civic dialogue? Do we have recommendations to make in relation to government policy toward the arts and culture?
  • Do any action steps, collaborations or recommendations emerge from this conversation?


Background Readings:

Participants:

  • Asnia Asim (Facilitator) was most recently employed by the World Bank's South Asia Human Development unit.  She is currently a student in the MA Program in Coexistence and Conflict at Brandeis.
  • Zohar Fuller (Rapporteur) is an undergraduate student at Brandeis University who is taking a class on “The Arts of Building Peace.”
  • Endah Setyowati (Rapporteur) has been working at the Center for Study and Promotion of Peace at Duta Wacana Christian University in Indonesia since 1999.  She is currently a student in the MA Program in Coexistence and Conflict at Brandeis.
  • Eileen Babbitt is Professor of International Conflict Management Practice and Director of the International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Program at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
  • Steve Burg is Adlai E. Stevenson Professor of International Politics and Chair of the Politics department at Brandeis.  He is participating in effort to prevent further ethnic conflict in the Balkans through his association with the Project on Ethnic Relations.
  • Scott Edmiston is Director of the Office of the Arts at Brandeis University.
  • Alex Grigor'ev is Executive Director of the Project on Ethnic Relations, an organization dedicated to preventing ethnic conflict in Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the former Soviet Union.
  • Attila Klein is professor and founding faculty member for the Sustainable International Development program at Brandeis.  He currently teaches a course that assesses the relationship between conflict and the environment.
  • Dijana Milosevic is the artistic director of Dah Teatar and Research Centre located in Serbia.  Dah’s work has included cross-community collaborations with a theatre in Mostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina, as well as performances that challenge the citizens of Belgrade to acknowledge the legacy of atrocities committed by their government.
  • Aida Nasrallah is the pen name of Mahagna Nasera, a Palestinian-Israeli author and artist who focuses on women’s roles as peacebuilders. She organizes and runs a weekly salon for women poets and writers, serving as mentor for Arab women in Israel who wish to experiment with poetry and fiction.
  • Naum Panovski is a professional theatre director and dramaturge.  He is Director of the MFA Program in Performance and Society at Rhode Island College.
  • Kathy Randels is a native New Orleanian, a theatre artist/educator, and the founder/artistic director of ArtSpot Productions, a non-profit organization dedicated to creative processes that allow voices within a community to be expressed.

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