LocationsYoung people from Brčko, Bugojno and Goražde found their voice through collaboration in the theater
November 2, 2023
The love of theater connected thirty young people from Bugojno, Brčko and Goražde who found themselves and their voice through cooperation in unique theater workshops organized by the Youth Cultural and Artistic Platform (OKUP) Bugojno as part of the project "Theatre and I: Building Life Skills through Art".
Theatre as a form of art has always been a platform for connecting and strengthening creativity and self-confidence, which young people from Bugojno also recognized. Growing up in the town that hosts the oldest FEDRA theater festival in Bosnia and Herzegovina, founded in 1959, young people in Bugojno have nurtured their love for the stage from early childhood.
However, having in mind that their peers in other areas throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina did not have the opportunity to grow up in the same environment as them, they decided to refresh theater art with new perspectives and innovative ideas.
Gathered through the Youth Cultural and Artistic Platform (OKUP), young people from Bugojno implemented the project "Theatre and I: Building Life Skills through Art", which contributed to the creation of a new generation of theater lovers in Brčko and Goražde, as well as connecting young people from three local communities. This project was implemented as part of the project "Meaningful Activism, Knowledgeable Engagement and Responsible Solutions" (MAKERS) implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with the support of the Porticus Foundation.
"We were lucky enough to be brought up in the theater, and through this project we transferred the joy of theater to other communities that have a huge, if not greater, potential to be a theater city like Bugojno,"said Adna Rizvan from Bugojno, the president of OKUP and student of production at the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo.
The project brought together 30 young men and women from Bugojno, Brčko and Goražde who participated in workshops during which they worked on personal development. With the help of expert educators, they explored their own body, creativity and emotional expression. Great support for the realization of the workshops was provided by all three local governments, which secured space where the young people held art workshops.
"The main goal was for young people to use the techniques offered by puppetry, acting, movement, voice and music, and to include their personal experiences, emotions and reflections and 'put it out' on the stage, which we consider a safe place," said Rizvan.
The workshops were inspired by the controversial drama "Spring Awakening", which talks about the problems and sexuality of adolescents in a conservative environment. This theatrical hit also inspired young people from three local communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to connect and talk together about difficult topics and challenges they face while growing up.
One of the participants in the workshops, 17-year-old Lamija-Saliha Čačković, says that this project was an experience for her that she will remember her whole life.
"I met many wonderful people and got the opportunity to talk and collaborate with people who are experts in the field of theater. I enjoyed every moment of this adventure," said Čačković.
Faruk Bečić says that the mutual exchange of information, experiences and emotions between the participants and the project manager was extremely inspiring.
"The spring awakening awakened a lot of new ideas and emotions in me. We all learned a lot from each other," added Bečić.
Workshop educator and dramaturgy graduate student Benjamin Konjicija points out that it was a pleasure to work with creative young people from different backgrounds. He describes the workshops as an exciting journey where everyone learned how to think outside the box, open up and accept themselves.
"Creativity was bursting everywhere. It was inspiring to watch young people experimenting, improvising, and bringing their own unique touch to the workshops. They brought a sense of playfulness and freedom to the stage, which is worthy of praise,"said Konjicija.
The results of the workshops were integrated into a public stage presentation that took place in front of the audience in mid-July 2023 as part of the revue program of the 51st Theater Festival FEDRA. The audience was delighted with the thinking of the young people and their stage expression, which was more like a real amateur theater performance than an informal presentation.
"Being a young person in Bosnia and Herzegovina is often not easy, especially when reality can seem like a big play or a movie. That is why young people should be given the opportunity to 'play' in a safe space such as theater and enable them to be irrational, wacky, and free", said OKUP president Adna Rizvan.
Through the implementation of this project, Rizvan says that she realized that it is necessary to provide more information, resources, and networking opportunities to young people in BiH based on which they could develop themselves.
"The inter-municipal cooperation between Bugojno, Brčko and Goražde, which followed this project, is a great example for the exchange of experiences and information", added Rizvan, stressing that in the future, OKUP will support young people and local governments in providing continued art space.
MAKERS project implemented activities aimed at improving social cohesion in 20 partner municipalities and cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Special attention is focused on the development of activism in the community and the strengthening of young leaders, as well as the promotion of joint actions and goals.
