PA.R.T.N.E.R.S.
PArticipatory Theatre for Fostering Resilience, Tolerance and Non-Violent Communication: Engaging Students, Restoring Respect & Combating Hate Speech in Schools (PA.R.T.N.E.R.S.) is a 24-month initiative to be implemented on a national scale in Greece by the Hellenic Theatre/Drama & Education Network, https://theatroedu.gr/ (TENet-Gr, coordinator) in partnership with Simeio, https://simeio.org.gr/, a civil society organization promoting democracy and human rights.
Its general objective is to prevent and combat hate speech in schools by empowering educators and students through participatory theatre and arts-based pedagogy, fostering resilience, tolerance and non-violent communication.
Following the EU Citizens Panel (2024) and the No place for hate Communication (2023), the project will:
• Explore manifestations of hate speech through theatre-based workshops with teachers and students, combined with surveys and focus groups with teachers and youth workers.
• Create a participatory theatre performance which will be presented in schools and an educational toolkit.
• Disseminate results via two complementary strands: a professional awareness campaign designed by a marketing agency to reach wide audiences, and student-led artistic dissemination (posters, videos, banners) showcased at a final festival-style event.
The project will target teachers, students, youth workers and the wider educational community.
At least 80 teachers and 960 students from 6 schools in Attika-Athens and 2 schools in rural areas are expected to be directly involved.
UNHCR Greece will support the project by disseminating the results via its communication channels and/or review and provide feedback on the educational material that will be produced.