17/06/2023
PDPU student visit at Conflictorium Museum – 25th May 2024
On May 25, 2024, the students of the Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University (PDPU) had an enriching visit to the Conflictorium and an hour talk. This was in continuation with internship program that began in December 2023. Around 35 Master’s class students, actively participated in the visit.
The visit included an engaging visit of the Conflictorium museum, facilitated by Nayan Rathod. The museum provided the students with a experience & exposing them to various forms of conflicts including those based on caste, communal tensions, and gender issues. The exhibits also drive into the direction of the moral compass as guided by the Constitution, offering a holistic view of societal conflicts.
The talk was facilitated by Hozefa and during this session, Hozefa discussed different types of conflicts, illustrating his points with contemporary examples and stories. This talk provided the students with a deeper understanding of the complexities of conflict and the importance of addressing these issues within society.
Overall, the visit to the Conflictorium was a significant educational experience, broadening the students’ perspectives on conflict and its various dimensions.
Rehearsal and Play writing- 11th to 18th May 2024
The renowned artist Navjot Altaf has invited us to create and write a script of play based on the story of Mahisasur and Durga. This concept originated from a conversation between Jitendra Yadav and Prem Kumar Mani, as described in the book “Mahisasur.” The aim is to have artists from NT DNT and oppressed communities to perform the play, which would then be filmed. After discussing the concept with Atish and Hozefa, it was decided that they would write and perform the play based on Navjot Altaf’s notes and concept. The play rethinks the story of Mahisasur and Durga, connecting it with contemporary issues.
Atish and Hozefa wrote the first draft of the script and rehearsed with two more artists, Chirag and Shahin, over four days, from the 11th to the 14th. From May 15th to 18th, Navjot Altaf reviewed the rehearsals and requested a detailed discussion of each scene. It was decided to rewrite the script collaboratively with Navjot Altaf over three days, ensuring that each point was unanimously agreed upon. This revised script was then finalized and sent to Navjot Altaf for approval. The script has approved by the Navjot Altaf and it has decided that it will be shoot between 26th to 30th June 2024.
It was agreed that the film rights would remain with Navjot Altaf, while the performance rights would belong to us, allowing for the play to be performed in various locations.
Theater training workshop – (Five days)
Under the CRY project, Sahyog and CRY has organized a theater workshop for young girls and boys from various communities at Vatwa. They were aware about our continuous work on the cultural basis and thus requested us to facilitate the workshop, and create a vibrant cultural group capable of performing street plays on different issues. Hozefa facilitated this five- days workshop, which began at the end of May on the 30th and 31st and continued into June.
The workshop aimed to build an understanding of theater through various theater games and processes, as well as to develop an understanding of different issues through leadership building in theater. Ongoing engagement with the group will be provided to help them write and perform plays. The goal is to develop a group and increase the interaction among youth from different communities.
Approximately 20 young boys and girls from Dalit, Muslim, and OBC communities in different areas of Vatwa participated in the workshop.
Participation:
A three-day training program organized by the Sahyog organization took place from May 22nd to 24th, 2024, in Panchmahal district. Hozefa facilitated sessions on theater and the Constitution. The workshop brought together youth from various communities across different areas of Ahmedabad, with around 30 participants attending the workshop
