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seven-day theatre training workshop titled, Shezey* – Finding A Voice Through Art was arranged under the auspices of Mafkoora, a not-for-profit institute for development and research. It was attended by girls and women hailing from various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Hayat Roghani, chief executive officer of the Mafkoora institute, opened the event. He said his organisation had been working for the welfare of the youth, women and minority groups. He said that Mafkoora had distinguished itself by holding sessions on interfaith harmony and non-violence.
“The organisation has also been instrumental in imparting education on fine arts by organising various activities including painting, theatre, dialogue forums, music and study circles,” said Roghani.
The workshop was the first initiative of its kind. The participants were trained for theatre for social transformation. They were encouraged to use their newly acquired skills to initiate dialogue and advocate for peace. The training workshop went beyond equipping the girls with theatrical skills. It also provided them with a platform for self-expression and leadership, fostering their role as agents of positive change in the society.
“There should be more events like this one. Such events allow women to find their voice and take the centre stage. Self-expression was a theme in the workshop; so was empowerment,” said a participant from Swat.
“Organising such events and trainings requires adequate funds, logistic support and a conducive environment,” another participant noted.
Wagma Feroz, the award-winning chief trainer, remarked that the week-long exercise had equipped the participants with advanced theatre skills such as improvisation, storytelling, script writing and character development. It had also addressed critical topics including domestic violent, underage marriage, gender inequality and several other issues faced by women in the Pashtun society.
A key focus of the event was on learning techniques of forum or interactive theatre. Three scenes were acted out. The audience provided their feedback, resulting in an interactive exercise. Experts on stage theatrics with extensive background knowledge and experience also delivered training sessions.
Prof Dr Nasir Iqbal, a noted expert on live theatre and senior teacher of English at the historic Edwards College, spoke on the history of theatre and performing arts in Peshawar. He told the audience that the first live theatre performance was held in 1922. “The same play was then performed at Edwards College and later at Islamia College, Peshawar.”
“The English Society of Edwards College produced notable Bollywood legends including Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor and Amjad Khan,” said Dr Iqbal. “Their careers started with live theatre, which became a signature annual feature of the college. Till this date, Edwards College has kept up its golden tradition of promoting theatre.”
The participants said the training workshop had given them confidence. Members of minority groups and transwomen taking part in the sessions said that such events were important for promoting inclusivity and tolerance.
Professor Samiuddin Arman, author of several books and an expert on forum theatre, said, “After a flyer publicising the theatre training workshop went viral on social media, a number of representatives from universities and local colleges all over KP reached out to us and requested that we arrange similar workshops on their campuses as well. The response from parents, teachers and rights activists has been overwhelming.”
Wagma Feroz said that awareness-raising theatre was the need of the hour. “We need to provide our youth with inclusive platforms where they can express themselves.”
“The people trained in this group will continue to perform in their areas with a focus on creating awareness among various communities,” said Feroz. “Such training sessions bring communities closer.”
*Shezey means ‘women’ in the local Pashto dialect
The writer is a Peshawar-based journalist. He mostly writes on art, culture, education, youth and minorities. His X handle: Shinwar-9