Activities on the Brandeis Campus: A Schedule of Events
First Institute: November 9 -16, 2003
The following events featured the third round of Brandeis International Fellows in the Slifka Program in Intercommunal Coexistence. They spent a week at Brandeis engaging in concentrated reflection, creative work, and discussion based on their work in Sri Lanka, South Africa, Burundi, New Zealand, and Cambodia. The theme they explored was titled "Recasting Reconciliation through Culture and the Arts."
November 12th
LUNCHTIME MEETINGS
Brandeis Adult Learning Initiative
12:00pm, Gosman Center, Napoli Room
Fellows: Jenny Hutt, Ly Daravuth
Justice Brandeis Scholars
12:00pm, Faculty Club, President's Dining Room
Fellows: Bev Hosking, Ingrid Muan
MUSIC UNITES: TEACHING ABOUT CULTURE AND HISTORY THROUGH MUSIC
1:00pm, Slosberg Recital Hall
Co-sponsored by Music Department
Fellows: Lena Slachmuijlder, Nicholas Djanie, Stompie Selibe
Music Unites, a pilot program creating a partnership between Brandeis University and the Waltham Public Schools, featured a performance by Nicholas, Stompie, and Lena, who taught about their lives and work through playing and discussion of their music.100 fifth graders from two Waltham elementary schools participated in this interactive program.
WOMEN IN CULTURE AND SOCIETY (WMNS 5A)
2:10pm, Lown 201
Fellows: Kim Berman, Iffat Fatima, Lisa Kois
This class explores women's experiences in the United States and other societies, focusing on the diversity of women's lives. Basic social science assumptions and new feminist perspectives are used to examine a broad range of topics, fields, and issues. Fellows participated in a class discussion and related personal stories about how they got involved in the work they do, the condition of women in their societies, the kinds of social change they are hoping to promote, and whether and/or how they see themselves as activists.
REAL LIFE STORIES: AN INTRODUCTION TO PLAYBACK THEATRE
3:30pm, Alumni Lounge
Open to Public
Co-sponsored by Theater Department
Fellows: Bev Hosking, Jenny Hutt
This was a participatory workshop introducing Playback Theatre's approach to reenacting the essence of stories, and describing the work being done to train Playback Theatre practitioners in New Zealand, Fiji, and India that has relevance to reconciliation processes.
ART, SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND RECONCILIATION IN AFRICA
5:30pm, Alumni Lounge
Co-sponsored by the Program in Sustainable International Development
Fellows: Kim Berman, Stompie Selibe, Lena Slchmuijlder, Nicholas Djanie
Kim and Stompie discussed their work in community outreach and development programs that use art processes as a medium for engaging social change in South Africa. Nicholas and Lena spoke about how they have used African drumming, music and song to promote reconciliation in divided communities in Rwanda and Burundi.
RECONCILIATION IN SRI LANKA: OUR PERSONAL JOURNEYS
7:00pm, Pollack Auditorium
Open to Public
Co-sponsored by International Club
Fellows: Lisa Kois, Iffat Fatima
Lisa and Iffat reflected on their personal experiences leading to and in creating "The Road to Peace," a film documenting how Tamil and Sinhalese communities are working though the legacy of the civil war through stories, visual art and ritual. A short portion of their rough cut was screened.
LEGACY OF ABSENCE: A CAMBODIAN STORY
8:00pm, Pollack Auditorium
Open to Public
Co-sponsored by South East Asia Club
Fellows: Ingrid Muan, Ly Daravuth
Ingrid and Daravuth presented images and discussed their work at Reyum, the Institute of Arts and Culture in Phnom Penh. Through exhibitions, events, classes, and research, Reyum seeks to engage the community in addressing the legacy of the Khmer Rouge period, and create spaces for community reflection, conversation, and education.
PARADISE ON A RIVER OF HELL
8:00pm, Village Commons
Co-sponsored by the Indian/Pakistani Dialogue Group
Fellow: Iffat Fatima
Screening of the documentary film about violence in Kashmir during the 1990s, "Paradise on a River of Hell." Iffat engaged the group in a dialogue around Kashmir and the film's treatment of the subject.
November 14th
DIALOGUE AND RECONCILIATION: STORIES OF CHALLENGE AND TRANSFORMATION
8:00 pm
A performance by the Hudson River Playback Theatre featuring a reenactments of stories told by the Fellows and Brandeis Community members involved in dialogue and diversity work. Supported in part by the Hewlett Pluralism Alliance.