BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

31/08/2009

Innovative "Forum-Theatre" Techniques Are Applied For Preventive HIV And AIDS Education In The Republic Of Belarus

Within the framework of the UNESCO project "Mobilizing cultural resources for HIV and AIDS education" hundreds of young people, teachers and specialists in culture and education from Belarus have benefited from a project which educates young people about the issues of HIV and AIDS with the use of the "Forum-Theatre" technique.

The project was conducted by the Republican Public Organization "Belarusian Association of UNESCO Clubs" with advisory and financial support of the UNESCO Moscow Office and in cooperation with the National Commission of the Republic of Belarus for UNESCO, UNAIDS, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, UNDP project "Prevention and treatment of HIV and AIDS in the Republic of Belarus", the Belarusian State Academy of Arts and other major cultural and educational organizations.

Activities of the project were aimed at widening the range of cultural resources used for HIV prevention, mobilizing professionals in culture and education fields to fight against HIV, as well as designing methodological guidelines on use of socio-cultural resources for effectiveness of HIV and AIDS preventive education using the dramatic art techniques of 'Forum-Theatre'. As a part of the UNESCO project "Mobilizing cultural resources for HIV and AIDS education in Belarus", the project implemented in Belarus was to achieve a number of important outcomes, such as raising awareness among policy makers, artists, crafts people, art and culture managers, educational and research institutions on the use and application of a cultural approach in strategies, policies, projects and fieldwork; strengthening methodological tools and guidelines for the purposes of HIV and AIDS culturally sensitive prevention campaigns, using arts in HIV and AIDS non-formal education, and mobilising young creative professionals in generating public awareness on HIV and AIDS issues.

Stages of the project included a 3-day seminar for the supervisors of the UNESCO Clubs from educational institutions, theatre professionals, and representatives of the National commission of Belarus for UNESCO, a training program for youth participants aged 14-18 and 3 one-day seminars (one in each of 3 regions of Belarus - Brest, Grodno and Mogilev) for professionals in the culture and education fields. Within the project a survey was conducted measuring levels of knowledge on HIV and AIDS issues before and after the seminars and programs. At the end of the training program several performances were staged using "Forum-theatre" techniques, the concepts of these performances correspond to UNESCO priorities and strategies in the sphere of HIV prevention.

A 2-day Forum on exchange of experience between the members of the "Forum-Theatre" teams and project specialists with participation of representatives of UNAIDS in Belarus, the UNESCO Moscow Office and expert from the Republic of Moldova was conducted, bringing together around 100 participants.

Upon the conduction of the seminars and the training program, the Methods Manual "Organization of HIV and AIDS Preventive Education in Educational Institutions of the Republic of Belarus with the Use of the "Forum-Theatre" Technique" was prepared, published and disseminated among the main stakeholders, including state cultural and educational institutions.

The project provided participants with the knowledge and skills to become more health conscious and aware of preventative information on HIV and AIDS and to share this knowledge with their peers, as well as challenging attitudes to the HIV problem and to people living with HIV. The young people have been given valuable examples upon which to model their own behavior and have also gained basic knowledge of acting techniques. In addition, 3 "Forum-Theatre" teams in 3 institutions of extra curricular education have been created and the Belarusian Association of UNESCO Clubs plans to continue conducting activities directed at training young people in "Forum-Theatre" techniques in the sphere of preventive education on HIV and AIDS issues.

Methods Manual "Organization of HIV and AIDS Preventive Education in Educational Institutions of the Republic of Belarus with the Use of the "Forum-Theatre" Technique" [Russian, PDF]

Methods Manual

Source:

http://www.unesco.ru/eng/articles/2004/y.podol31082009173215.php

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