Culture
Culture determines how we see one another, what we want and the realm of possible pathways ahead. It is intrinsic to understanding conflict and an overlooked resource in transforming it. My work has therefore often focused on helping people see themselves in a wider community and one another across conflict lines. For example, my digital cultural heritage platform aims to help societies develop more inclusive visions of themselves. And supporting my friends build Citizen’s Theatre, a national Forum Theatre movement in South Sudan, has been one of the great joy of my life.
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Neem Heritage - Community Led Heritage Campaigns
Neem is an Android and Web digital platform that gives communities control over documenting and exploring their cultural heritage. The APP enables people to record, define, manage and explore their heritage. Bespoke admin panels give partners full control to set up and run campaigns.
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7OSHNA - Intangible Cultural Heritage in Sudan
7oshna - ‘Our Courtyard’ - is a Neem partnership with the University of Khartoum. We are radically decentralising cultural heritage collection through community-led collection. We are also restoring the University’s vast Folklore archive, and running workshops and festivals.
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Thagafatna - Remote Cultural Heritage Collection and Radio
In South Sudan’s Arabic, ‘Thagatafna’ means ‘Our Cultures’. This is a Neem partnership with Internews. Community-led cultural heritage collection engages communities, safeguards and celebrates diversity in a divided society. We then make radio shows to give the material a truly national reach.
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Citizen's Theatre - Building a national forum theatre movement
For over ten years. South Sudan Theatre Organisation (SSTO) has run forum theatre programs and festivals across the country. I have not seen a more powerful way to engage young people in reconciling with the past and thinking about alternative futures. I have supported SSTO from day zero through my C.I.C, TFM, gradually building SSTO capacity to become the lead agency. Together we have implemented grants from USAID, UNESCO, OSI, DI, Christian Aid, NCA, British Council and others.
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Cultural Olympiad - Cymbeline in Juba Arabic
When South Sudanese theatre-maker Nichola Lado told me they could pull this off, I knew it was true. Still it was a big responsibility to stand or fall representing the new country. Let’s just say it was not easy. In the end, Joseph Abuk translated Cymbeline into Juba Arabic, the British Council and a generous crowd funder gave us a little support, friends gave beds, and the show was an ecstatic celebration. All credit to the Globe for taking a chance on it, and enabling the impossible to become possible.
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Participatory and Mobile Cinema
I have mainly used cinema to cut out what I call ‘authority gaps’ in a peace process. This is where the ‘more people’ - the public - don’t necessary know whether the ‘key people’ those with power to directly change the situation - have actually agreed to a political or security agreement. Using cinema to disseminate peace agreements means people hear direct from the horse’s mouth. There is no room for suspicion or misinformation. Separately, I love cinema for its own sake of course. It’s great fun for audiences wherever the are.
