UNDP and Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Early Recovery

Dacapo Theatre has contributed to a conference hosted by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). The theme was Early Recovery – the early and essential steps to secure peace and restart normal governance.

From experience to action
The first two days practioners, embassy employees, UN workers, NGO´s and others shared their experiences in order to brain storm solutions that would improve the work in this field. The third day was dedicated to the policy forum, the participants committed themselves to continue working with the proposals which were elaborated the first two days. Dacapo Theatre took part in the entire process.

Forum theatre ..		makes people cross barriers

 Head of Department of Humanitarian Assistance and NGO Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Denmark, Anne-Birgitte Albrechtsen says;

 “The theatre and the facilitation of the advisor involved all and that seldom happens when hosting a conference with 220 participants. I and everybody else were genuinely impressed by the fact that focus was taken from us participants onto the joint project, Early Recovery. Dacapo succeed in giving us the big picture of the task we are to solve together as well as outlining the smaller agendas that we all have.

The most fantastic point was Dacapo being able to break down all barriers and making people contribute to the theatre play and thereby creating the change that must come. Without hesitating, many crossed the traditional boundaries which often exist at an international conference. They were given the opportunity to use themselves as experienced human resources, instead of talking from fixed positions, which often happens in these contexts. It is very powerful observing a Pakistani general enter the scene, contributing to the play. This is what eliminates stereo types and feed mutual understanding.

The fact that people had been so dedicated to involving themselves, resulted in a very smooth decision process at the Policy Forum on the third day as nobody wished to block and be negative. The dedication and energy that had been present the first two days of the conference – developed by the Dacapo Theatre – meant that people were unable to return to their old locked positions. Everybody contributed in a much more positive spirit than what normally is seen.”