“Theatre is for everyone”: Young performers with disabilities take the stage!

With great enthusiasm LDA Kairouan Tunisia organized an art and theatre show – performed by 30 young people with disabilities. Performers, aged between 8 and 30 years old, had different disabilities ranging from mental disability and autism to motor disability and deafness. Yet, this is exactly the plus that made this initiative a touching and great moment.

Resulting from a consistent and committed work of 8-month theatre workshops, the show presented variety of artistic performances from poetry and singing to theatre and dancing. The delight and excitement of participants, their energetic and dynamic movements on stage, and their embodiment of the characters they played echoed the success of the show.

The young performers belonged to three specialized rehabilitation centers for people with disabilities: Association for Supporting the Hearing Impaired (ASDA), The General Association for The Physically Impaired (AGIM), and The National Union for The Mentally Impaired (UTAIM).

Inclusivity is the keyword to social theatre!
“Theatre is for everyone” – Tunisia

More about the show!

Youth with autism and mental disabilities performed choreographies, by wearing traditional outfits. Their vivid and harmonious dancing, inspired by Tunisian folklore, sparked joy and excitement.

Moreover, participants with deafness disabilities performed an amusing theatrical piece based on mime, tackling social and humanitarian issues revolving around justice, perseverance, love, and kindness. Thrilling music accompanied the performers who relied on their expressive facial expressions and agile body movements.

Yet, this in not everything! Wearing white outfits, actors with physical disabilities performed a piece of theatre that addressed discrimination and unemployment as a form of self-advocacy. The story, unfolded in an imaginary land, was located between life and death. Some of the characters yearned for life while others disagreed as they found death the path to salvation from their hardships.

Inclusivity is the keyword to the social theatre!

The objective was to provide a platform for inclusion, personal growth, and soft skills training. The social theatre was a great source of learning through its dramatic games, inclusivity, encouraging expression, and openness to self and others. Indeed, educators and theatre operators noticed the stunning development in the participants’ linguistic, social, emotional, physical, and cognitive skills. Driven by passion and joy, pupils learned a set of new competencies and best practices from their teachers and also from each other.

Awareness about worldwide humanitarian issues

Youth actively contributed to the scenario by providing their visions and suggestions about themes, plot, and characters. They also came up with the idea of giving tribute to Palestinian children who lost their lives during the last attack on Gaza. Through their action, they proved that they do not live in a small bubble but are also interested in global and humanitarian issues.

The project aims to promote the rights of people with disabilities and to create a culture of inclusion through theatre. Indeed, the success of this activity is the outcome of the supervision and effort of the whole partners, and also thanks to the unwavering trust of parents and the youth in the importance of their participation and belief in their capacities.

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This activity is part of the project “Ricomincio Da Te” (Starting from You) co-financed by the Italian Agency of Cooperation for Development (AICs), in partnership with COPE Italy, LDA Tunisia, Kairouan municipality, Social Affairs Tunisian ministry, and the rehabilitation centers in Kairouan ASDA, AGIM, UTAIM.