Research Summary
(A Study on the Application of Social Theater Projects in Africa)
This study was conducted as part of the African Forum for Social Theater program. Heba Radwan, the researcher, holds a Master’s degree in Cultural Policies from the International University of Senghor.
Ahmed Saleh, the supervisor, director and project manager at the Madina Foundation for the Arts.
This research aims to explore the experiences of social theater in Africa by examining two major programs implemented by the Minority Rights Group International (MRG) from England between 2010 and 2017. These experiences focused on addressing the issues and rights of minorities and primarily utilized street theater as a methodology to raise awareness about various minorities in Africa. This project was unique not only in Africa but also worldwide, reinforcing the belief in the capacity of social theater to address different issues.
The research aims to provide an independent assessment of the achievements, challenges, and lessons learned, particularly in understanding the impact of social theater and the role it can play in the future. It seeks to extract the methods used and understand the nature of social theater in Africa and its influence on addressing an important issue such as minority rights. This will be done by examining the general characteristics of social theater and exploring the different approaches employed. The focus will be on studying two programs implemented by MRG in Africa. The first program covered four countries: Botswana, the Dominican Republic, Kenya, and Rwanda. The research will primarily concentrate on the programs implemented in the three African countries. This program, conducted between 2010 and 2013, involved the production of social theater performances and awareness campaigns. The second program, Drama Diversity Development (DDD), was executed in the Arab region between 2014 and 2017 and included 11 projects. The research will specifically focus on seven projects carried out in the North African countries of Egypt, Tunisia, and Morocco. Through studying and evaluating these programs, the research aims to cover the key aspects and impacts of social theater in Africa.
Table of Projects Implemented in the (MRG) Program:
| Project name | Organization | Country | Theatrical approach | Minority group | |
| 1 | Street Theatre Program | Cultural Alliance for Diversity in Botswana – Minority Linkages University Organization | Botswana | Forum Theatre | Minorities outside the eight tribes in the constitution in Botswana. |
| 2 | Street Theatre Program | The arts promoting education. | Kenya | Forum Theatre | The national minorities in the coastal regions. |
| 3 | Street Theatre Program | The Association of Christian Young Women. | Rwanda | Forum Theatre | The Batwa community, estimated to number around 30,000. |
| 4 | Drama, Diversity, Development (Street Carnival) | El Madina for Arts. | Egypt | Carnival Theater | The Nubians in Egypt |
| 5 | Drama, Diversity, Development (Zamakan) | Artist Against My Will | Tunisia | Physical Theater | Amazigh |
| 6 | Mix City | The Restricted Theater (Kurara currently)/ Rasin / Minority Troupe | Morocco | Forum Theatre | Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa. |
| 7 | Drama, Diversity, Development (Black is Valuable). | Citizen Dancers. | Tunisia | Physical Theater | Black-skinned individuals. |
| 8 | Drama, Diversity, Development (Al-Karna). | Workshop 271 (L’atelier 271). | Tunisia | Interactive theater. | Black-skinned individuals. |
| 9 | Drama, Diversity, Development (Qitar Al-Qari) | The request of the executor is not to include their name. | Egypt | Interactive theater. | Christians. |
| 10 | Drama, Diversity, Development (Street Theater Group of the Bedouin Minority in Sinai). | The Women’s Association for Human Rights. | Egypt | Interactive theater. | Bedouins of Sinai. |
