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Shared Echoes II 'The Creation of Our World'

A Project Sponsored by UNOPS Special Initiative Grant and the Cultural Services Ministry of Education and Culture, organized by Echo Arts Living Arts Centre, facilitated by EMAA.

A ten-day theatre and movement workshop followed by performances on the theme "The Creation of Our World" taking place between 1 – 17 October 2004, organised by Echo Arts Living Arts Center- Arianna Economou, and facilitated by EMAA the European Mediterranean Artists" Association of Nilgun Guney. The workshop will be led by Hein Haun - Cologne Germany, an invited expert on Theatre as a socio cultural process, working in collaboration with movement-theatre artist Arianna Economou and it will culminate in 4 or more performances covering both sides of the dividing line.

B. HISTORY

B.1. Echo Arts, a non-profit organization, plays a leading role in the organization and production of contemporary interdisciplinary performances, seminars, workshops both in the field of the arts and cultural life of Cyprus and also in the educational and special needs sector. The original Shared Echoes project in February/March 2004 brought together a group of 100 people from both sides who are now the nucleus for future work. A core group of 24 people have been trained in the performance skills as well as an additional 25 people in instrument building and music making, with the aim of reaching an audience of 2000 people around the island.

B.2. EMAA The European Mediterranean Artists" Association directed by Nilgun Guney has been our collaborator and facilitator so far in implementing the project on the north side of the dividing line.

B.3.The first project 24 February – 7 March 2004 was the first time artists from both communities in Cyprus and from the fields of visual arts, movement, performance, and music came together to form a workshop and created a collaborative interactive performance. The outcome of the first performance created a conviction of the important role the arts can play towards creating communities of interest and toward unification and peace.

C. AIMS

i] To continue to foster the development of an intercommunal interdisciplinary community in the performance arts. ii] To promote the exchange of ideas, dialogue and the development of interpersonal relationships both between the working group of participants and within the wider community and audiences across Cyprus. iii] To bring to Cyprus an international expert Hein Haun who will expose Cypriots to modern thought and theory in the field of interdisciplinary performance

D. SUSTAINABLITY

Already an intercommunal core group of people of this island is meeting and working within the performance field of Shared Echoes. As the group evolves and interacts with other people, gaining momentum through new participants via the forthcoming workshop/performance project, our intention is to reach a further audience of 2,000 people around the island, continuing to spread its influence. The work done is voluntary.