Location: Baghdad
Timing: May - July 2005 (in progress)
Budget: $42,556 (Total budget: $88,441)

• AoC recognizes Article 31 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child:
  • “States Parties recognize the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.”
• Having supported the successful “Theater For Children” AoC again partnered with this agency supporting children’s cultural activities. AoC partner, through UN funding, fully rehabilitated Al Fanoos Theater in 2004 ($531,000 budget). The rehabilitated facility has a 184 seat theater hall, library, music room, cafeteria, and a computer/internet center. Al Fanoos last operated as a children’s theater 20 years ago. There was concern that the new staff would not have the experience to take advantage of the newly rehabilitated center. This project grows out of this concern.
• In cooperation with the Children’s Cultural Department of the Ministry of Culture AoC partner agency is working with theater staff in order to establish an effective and sustainable cultural program at Al Fanoos.
• Specifically, the project will:
  • Provide security and first aid training for the entire staff (35 people).
  • Provide English, computer and pedagogy training for 25 staff.
  • Provide workshops for 25 staff in: child-to-child methodology, mime and pantomime, puppetry, and education in theater.
  • Send 5 to 10 key staff to a 2 week management training at the Performing Arts Center (PAC) in Amman, Jordan. [PAC is a member of The International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People.]
  • Organize a one-week festival of 30 cultural acts (plays, musical performances, and puppet shows). Each act will be attended by 175 children. Children and their parents will be invited to visit the Theater’s facilities on the last two days of the festival.