The Caravan
The Caravan is a project that aims to construct and tour a participatory street performance built collaboratively by professional theatre-makers and refugee artists, in an effort to incorporate recorded interviews conducted with Syrian refugees populations living in Lebanon. The piece will be developed with Syrian Refugee communities in Western Bekaa and then toured throughout Lebanon to focus on featuring refugees outside of Beirut, in particularly the stories of refugee women and children, who may not be able to travel as freely in their communities. By creating a physical street performance to accompany the recordings, “The Caravan” hopes to put Syrian refugee voices at the heart of the performance, in order to amplify and serve the messages and stories that stem from the refugee community; and reach thousands of people in remote areas in Lebanon through a visually compelling and emotionally intriguing performance. This will positively impact the Syrian refugee community in Lebanon as it will increase its confidence and promote spaces for creative self-expression that are free of danger, censorship, or shame, provide a platform for social engagement and communication around the Syrian refugee experience and allow Lebanese citizens an insight about refugees’ realities
Beirut DC aims to provide help and support to Arab independent filmmakers, in facing and overcoming the constraints facing independent-minded Arab cinema. In due time, Beirut DC became more capable and efficient in its efforts to adjust to the difficulties and challenges facing Arab independent moviemakers. The organisation was able to learn and profit from its prolonged experience, and to gain the knowledge necessary to define and pursue its ongoing projects. In a region where individuality is generally restricted, Beirut DC encourages its partners and collaborators to produce films that are relevant to their society, that seek to question pre-established forms and beliefs and aim to induce change and new personal approaches.
Sawa for Development and Aid has been working for four years with Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Among the first groups working with these communities, Sawa has been able to support families to reach the minimum standard for a dignified life. Sawa’s work starts from relief, development and education but also includes edutainment, psychosocial support through music and art, creative writing workshops, choirs, concerts, and plays, among others. Sawa has previously worked with several international, local and refugee artists both in the capacity of fundraising and capacity building to use art as a form of relief and psychosocial support.
Clown Me In is a clown initiative that uses different art forms from storytelling, clowning, physical theater and video to explore human dynamics and vulnerabilities, giving people a new way to learn about themselves through works and performances. The clowns of Clown Me In hit the streets of Lebanon to carry out street performances addressing different issues of social justice.