A regional festival that relies on theatre for conflict resolution and peaceful solutions will next week open in Kigali, a press statement issued by the Search For Common Ground (SFCG) has said.

The Regional Participatory Theatre Festival brings together theatre troupes from Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda to exchange best practices, perform for communities throughout Rwanda, and celebrate their solidarity.

According to the statement, the festival highlights participatory theatre for conflict transformation.
"This methodology provides a forum for awareness building and dialogue.

Trained actors along with their troupes develop unique scenarios based on local conflicts for each performance, with the audience members directly involved,” it says
The troupes will open the festival in Kigali and then move to Kamonyi, Bugesera, Rwamagana and Rulindo. The festival will then move to Gahanga, Mageragere, Kinyinya, Ndera and Jabana all in Kigali.

The festival is sponsored by SFCG in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Belgian Cooperation.

SFCG began operating in Rwanda in 2006 as part of its broader Great Lakes strategy to propose regional solutions to both national and regional conflicts in the Great Lakes. In 2008, SFCG opened a field office in Kigali to work more closely with projects on the ground.

SFCG’s work in Rwanda has two main objectives that include the promotion of constructive and collaborative dialogue within Rwanda and the wider Great Lakes region, and to reinforce regional media capacity to address conflict issues with accuracy, impartiality and responsibility.

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