19,23.03.2025

Theatre has long been a space where difficult conversations unfold, where voices find strength, and where communities imagine new possibilities. Under the initiative of “Theater-Based Education Training,” three local trainings with youth unfolded in Ferizaj, Prishtina, and Peja on the 19th and 23rd of 2025. Led by Berat Bajrami and Elira Lluka, these sessions brought young participants together to explore the power of theatre as a tool for dialogue, healing, and social change.

These trainings, held as part of the “HOPE – History of Peace for Education through Theatre” project, positioned theatre at the heart of peacebuilding efforts, offering young participants a platform to express, question, and reimagine their realities.

Through interactive exercises and guided performances, 50 participants engaged in a process of discovery—learning to use their bodies, voices, and collective storytelling to explore conflict resolution, reconciliation, and justice. By embodying different roles and scenarios, they developed empathy, challenged biases, and envisioned pathways to peace.

The sessions began with foundational exercises to create trust and collaboration. Icebreakers and Name Gestures fostered connection, while group movement activities encouraged openness and responsiveness. These exercises prepared participants to engage deeply with more complex themes.

The “Sculpture Exercise” invited participants to physically represent concepts of violence, oppression, and peacebuilding, prompting reflection on power dynamics and social responsibility. By freezing in poses that symbolized injustice and harmony, they examined the forces shaping their world and their roles in transformation.

The “Mirror Exercise” demonstrated importance of cooperation. As partners imitated each other’s movements, they learned to lead and follow with awareness—revealing how balance and mutual respect are essential in both performance and peacebuilding.

The HOPE Project – History of Peace for Education through Theatre is funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program, fostering education and dialogue through the arts.