This is the first activity on interculturality produced by the Drama for Youth Work project. This activity can be used as a warming up. You can find more activities on interculturality here.

 

Between 5 and 8 participants per circle. A maximum of 15 participants in the activity

OBJECTIVES OF THE ACTIVITY

  • Experience the security and freedom that citizens have in societies where their rights are protected.
  • Understand the situation of migrants in an irregular situation.

DESCRIPTION

Participants walk around the room, filling in empty spaces. They look in each others eyes and acknowledge the presence of others in the room. The say hello to anyone they meet on their way

This time when they say hello, they realise they have been mistaken and they actually don’t know that person. Now they walk neutral. This time when they meet others, they ask for help, but they are ignored. For example they are in a town, looking for pharmacy, or want to get to the nearest hospital. They don’t recieve any responce. Facilitator asks participants to stop. With a touch on a shoulder, the facilitator asks them to say one word of how they felt when they didn’t get any answer. The facilitator does the same asking how they felt rejecting the other. This time the group forms a circle. One volunteer steps inside the circle. 

They close their eyes and have to let their body fall while others have to catch and support them.

The group is instructed to keep silence and receive the fall by supporting their upper chest, upper back and shoulders.

Calm music can be played in the background. The facilitator marks when it is stoped. They take time to open their eyes and rejoin the circle. They decide whether they want to step in or not.

REFLECTION

The reflection is a crucial part of this exercise. It leads us towards discussion of the following questions:

  1. How did you feel when you were falling? 
  2. And catching?
  3. Which kind of support could you give to the person falling?
  4. How would you connect this exercise with the topic of interculturality? Both of its parts, rejection and support.