Some people like some communities shy away from issues that disrupt their “peace”, burry them under the carpet. The idea is to bring shied away issues children “inherit” into the light, empowering their awareness of themselves in wider community, encourage them to speak out their thoughts and feelings thus “dusting the carpet” – influencing the perception of human rights and participation in changing the local community. The result is children’s multimedia performance with a help of professional

Small communities in which issues that provoke conflict are not discussed but shuffled under carpet

Survey conducted in 2019 among elementary school students, their parents and teachers in Istrian schools states: 43 % of students know the meaning of personal identity, 49 % think that other people’s opinion is very important, 40% think that responsible citizens vote regularly. When asked about the themes of civic education almost all agree that human rights and political issues are least interesting. Their parents have similar views on those topics. Some preconditions for active participation are established, but it is necessary to encourage children to adopt active participation as a pattern of behavior. Activism relies on comprehensive information. To get such information children have to peak under the carpet and bring the hidden out to the daylight to deal with it.

We will engage up to 30 children (aged 11 to 14) from up to 5 small communities. Children generally do not have a say in public, but one third of engaged will be previously educated about their rights and global issues. They will work together with children of the same age who might have an idea about children rights and who might be aware of their identities. We would ask them to peak under the carpet and bring to light issues not discussed in public because they might bring out disagreements and possible conflicts. We will ask them to discuss those issues, debate about them and find some common ground - all in their children’s manner, in accordance with their age and comprehension. Communicating this through a theatre play they will shake up adult public and decision makers.

Children will look for fears, stereotypes, prejudices swept under the carpet in communities. There will be an initial opinion survey on those issues, to measure change in the end of project. With help of skilled trainers debates would be prepared and held on those issues (special approach to emotional component) in order to find common ground for each issue. Children will than participate in creating a performance with skilled adult team of professionals. The performance is meant to mediate feelings, thoughts and solutions children came up with during the process of creative learning to the wide audience, through several performances in schools for up to 2000 children and adults on open stages in summer. Performance will be recorded, uploaded to Youtube and available to wider public.

We will have educated up to 30 children on issues usually swept under the carpet in their classroom, school and local community. Those issues are important for building just society with shared democratic values through public dialog and civic activities. After the last public performance, an exit survey will be conducted to measure the turn of a perspective on important issues. Those children will influence their peers through daily social contacts, their parents and other adults. Educated children can initiate change in perspective in their communities. Those children will be inspired with a creative learning process and more so with a performance they create and play in public. Issues swept under the carpet will be brought to light for the communities to deal with them.

Citizens aware of who they are, what they stand for and why are most likely to clearly state their mind on different issues in a community, and not let distressing ones be swept under the rug. The best way to strengthen democracy and active citizenship in small communities is to educate children, to broaden their minds and spirit, let them feel as part of a large community of humans that all have equal rights and that none of those rights is exclusive to any individual or group of people. Teaching the children, we give way to a lasting change to small communities in which all carpets are regularly dusted.

We base our activities and organizational mission on UN Convention on the rights of the children. Grownups take care of most of the children’s needs but are reluctant in listening to their thoughts and proposals. So children do not have a say on important issues that concern them. Children are by nature open minded and willing to consider creative solutions of issues, but that changes as they grow, because it is easier to do things the way grownups have been doing for a long time. Neither children nor parents are aware that perpetuating this model they deprive themselves the opportunity to participate in creation of a society they would like to live in and that would let them express their full potential. That’s what we want to tackle with this intervention.

team od 6 proffesionals working with children for 3 months - 24. 500
education fot theatre tecnitian - 3000
video recording the play 2000
travel costs and lunch/dinner in the camp for 35 people 7000
office costs 1500
theatre costs 1000
staf costs 11000

We would like to know weatzher the idea seems appealing and would they like to see the vidao of what we come up with