Arena: Analysis of own Experience

Photos: © 2015, Peace Dialogue, Armine Zakaryan, Systemization of Experience Workshop

“The creative work we were doing during this workshop reminded me of my childhood. I will do exactly the same things for the groups in my community which we have had an opportunity to do here.” This was the impression of the Georgian participant regarding the results of the Systematization of Experience workshop as well as that of many other participants.

The second workshop within the framework of the three year-project called Arena: Community Theatre and Public Art was held in Tbilisi from August 20-25. The Project was launched in 2015 and is being implemented by Peace Dialogue NGO with participants from the Russian Federation, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, and Azerbaijan. The first meeting where the participants learned about Systematization of Experience was held in May, 2015. The purpose of this most recent meeting was to analyze the results of the lessons learned from the first meeting. The trainers for the workshop were Marina Grasse and Mirella Galbiati from project’s partner organization in Germany OWEN.

One of the intended outcomes of the Arena project will be the creation of a stronger network of civil society representatives and independent artists from the above mentioned countries. In order to prepare for this workshop, the participants were asked to document a project on human rights and peace building that they are presently involved in. The results were analyzed during the workshop using the innovative and creative tools.

“For me the people involved are also very important. I want to help everyone with what I can. I am sure that they are also ready to help me. I hope that while working together I managed to help the others make their projects better or encouraged them in some aspects.”

Each participant presented how their activities using the Systematization of Experience process was held in the communities and then the whole group analyzed the results using their new knowledge of this approach. The participants talked about the challenges and difficulties they had during the process, while the rest of the participants tried to give feedback on what they thought would be the best solution based on their individual experience and understanding of the process and existing social and political dynamics.

According to the organizers, the Systematization of Experience and the process of analysis allows the participants to work better together and to understand the weak points and the strong points of their projects, the gaps, and find creative solutions on how to communicate and to pass on the lessons learned to others. The skills of systematization allow the participants to more effectively plan using these newly acquired creative tools in their future activities and to develop common strategies for implementing activities in the sphere of human rights and peace building.

As for the goal of increasing cooperation and mutual support between the participants and the organizations they represent, at this stage of the project it seems clear that these relationships have already begun to be created. The opinion that one of the participants expressed proves this once again.

For more details you can apply to Peace Dialogue NGO at [email protected]

The Project’s German Partner – OWEN – Mobile Akademie für Geschlechterdemokratie und Friedensförderung e.V.

The project “Arena: Community Theater and Public Art” is supported by the zivik (Civil Conflict Resolution) programme of the Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations (ifa) with means from the German Federal Foreign Office.