Since 2015, millions of people fleeing war, violence and political persecution have passed through the island of Lesvos seeking a better life in Europe. Thousands of people have lived in the Moria Refugee Camp, which Doctors Without Borders has called ‘the worst refugee camp in the world’. At the same time, Mytilene, the capital city of Lesvos, has become a crossroads of cultures, languages, lives, and dreams. There people have found ways to connect and create art and community, despite the difficulties and in response to them.
Responding to isolation through their art, they created collective power giving voice to what has been unspoken. Their arts became acts of solidarity and hope, continuing to grow across borders as many migrated to other European countries.

Hosting the event from UK, we joined the rhythms of the drums from Lesvos, mixed music and songs from Germany, witnessed a digital photographic journey from Afghanistan to France and continued to go back to the stories of the streets and the squares of Lesbos, where people met, imagined and created together.
The performers shared their creative projects and created new online performances inspired by the interviews of 27 young people from refugee and local backgrounds who lived in Lesvos during the years 2021-2023. As one of the artists of the project said: ‘The biggest art that we can make is with our daily life. Because the circumstances are not easy. We are making art to make life acceptable enough to pass it. That’s the main art I think and I am good at it’.

This collective initiative was inspired during the action research project Arts into Acts which included a series of interviews and an online creative group. Starting the group in Mytilene, at the time of the performance the members were based in Germany, France, UK and Greece, still connected, still creating art and life across borders.

Artists: Amir Ali, Elena Yaqubee, Joel Fabio Tunno, Lina Petrianou, Nazanin Foroghi, Rouddy Kimpioka, Yaser Akbari.
Community Organizers: Antzela Tzoure, Labrini Blatsiou
Digital Production: Lina Petrianou
Research: Elena Boukouvala
Organizers: Open University, PPLG, RAD Music International, The Boat Theatre.

A group of people worked creatively together through the media of music and dance, exploring embodied memories- tracing the memories our bodies hold. The residency created spaces for cultural exchanges and healing encounters among the participants, some of whom were living in Moria camp.

The group committed to the creative process sharing through performances intimate memories of their migration journeys and aspirations for their future. New friendships were created that developed after the end of the project.

The residency culminated with a public performance which was designed with the participants and addressed to their families and communities. We also celebrated the culmination of the project with a dinner which was cooked by all in the community kitchen and shared with the audience.

The residency took place at Villa Daphnis and Chloe in Thermi, Lesvos.
Collaborating Organizations: PPLG, Oyoun Berlin, Perform Europe
Residency Organizers: Francesco Argenio Benaroio, Elena Boukouvala
Facilitators: Ahmad Baba, Dumama

Here a video:

https://pplg.org/

https://www.facebook.com/PPLGcommunity/

PPLG 2019 is taking place in Anatolia College, Thessaloniki, 4-6 October 2019, from 16.00 of Friday 4th to 21.00 of Sunday 6th.

PPLG 2019 is organized by Aristotle University, University of Thessaly, East Side Institute of New York, Epineio Institute and Lesvos Solidarity. It is produced by an international organizing team.

PPLG 2019 will host 186 presenters from 37 countries, who will give presentations, workshops, performances of their work in art, education, therapy, community organizing. We are expecting 250+ overall participants. 

Responsibilities and tasks of Volunteers:

• To support presenters during the parallel sessions, each in an allocated room, making sure that the minimum and maximum numbers of participants are met.
• To keep track of the session’s duration and remind the presenters regarding the timely presentation of their work.
• To give technical support to the presenters, if needed (for example, files on room’s computers, projector, skype connections, etc.).
• To give direction to participants regarding rooms, logistics, schedule at the conference venue.
• To be a general reference for participants during the conference, recognizable as PPLG volunteers.

What we offer to Volunteers:

• Free participation in the international PPLG 2019 conference, including access to all workshops, presentations and performances (check the program here: https://pplg.org/creative-program/ ).
• Free lunches and reception dinner.
• Volunteering and participation certificate: a personal certificate will be issued to each Volunteer by the organizers of the conference: Aristotle University, University of Thessaly, East Side Institute, Epineio Institute and Lesvos Solidarity, useful for any academic or professional use.
• Free of charge preparation workshops: we offer to volunteers free theatre, dance and dramatherapy workshops as a form of training, during the month of September, before the production of the conference. 

Weekly workshops / training for Volunteers:

The theatre, dance and dramatherapy workshops for Volunteers will be hosted at Aristotle University, Thessaloniki: 4 workshops, once per week. Participation in the workshops is a requisite to be accredited as PPLG 2019 Volunteers: the schedule will be announced at the first meeting, also in conversation with the group. 

The opening welcoming/ first workshop for volunteers is taking place on Saturday 31 August 2019 18.00 – 20.00 in the open Theatre next to the Municipality of Thessaloniki:

https://goo.gl/maps/WrzycCxT8cjN3R9z9.

After that, from 20.00 to 21.00 we will offer a reception with finger food and drinks.

To apply as a Volunteer at PPLG 2019 please fill in the application form by Friday 30th of August 2019, either on this same page, or following this link:

https://forms.gle/rEyb7dyv6148fALz9

For any questions, feel free to contact us: community@pplg.org ; +30.6947815524

Thessaloniki, Greece

www.david-diamond-greece-anamuh.confetti.events

As the realities of climate change are upon us, how do we build connections with each other and not more walls? How do we recognize there is no “them”, that on this tiny blue ball, there is only “us” here?

We are inviting you to join the 6-days Power Play, led by the renowned theatre director David Diamond.

David has adapted Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed into what he now calls “Theatre for Living” approaching the work from a systems perspective: www.theatreforliving.com.

The Power Play will be created by people from diverse backgrounds and walks of life from around the world, to explore how blockages are manifesting in our lives and getting in the way of us taking collective responsibility and action, in response to Climate Change.

The Power Play will be performed as interactive Forum Theatre and it will contribute to create the international conference Play, Perform, Learn, Grow (PPLG): Bridging Communities, Practices and the World, Thessaloniki, Greece, 4-6 October 2019: www.pplg.org.

Organized by ANAMUH – Arts for Dialogue (www.anamuh.org)

In collaboration with:

Theatre for Living (www.theatreforliving.com)

Play, Perform, Learn, Grow (www.pplg.org)

Information and registrations:

www.david-diamond-greece-anamuh.confetti.events

For any doubts or question, don’t hesitate to contact:

Francesco Argenio Benaroio: francesco@anamuh.org