MUSCAT, Oman May 8, 2013 - The UNFPA Sub-Regional Office for the GCC States planned to organize a 9 days' workshop on "Advanced Puppetry Art Residency 2013", May 24th to June 1st with a "Puppet Performance" on the final day. The workshop will be conducted by the Arab Puppet Theatre Foundation (APTF). UNFPA Sub-Regional Office for the GCC States assisting the Government and Civil Societies of Oman through the capacity building workshop as a technical assistance to support the government in the greater development of the population in the country.
Based on the successful collaboration with the Ministries last year, UNFPA Sub-Regional Office for the GCC States decided to organize the 2nd puppet theatre workshop in Oman. The workshop participants are nominated by the collaborative partners of the workshop; Ministry of Education (MoE), Ministry of Health (MOH), and Oman Association for the Disabled (OAD) and members of the Youth Education Peer Network (Y-PEER) Oman.
The purpose of the workshop is to train participants to train others (ToT) in the art of puppetry as a new outreach tool to advocate the importance social issues and support the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Program of Actions (PoA). Arab and international trainers will conduct the workshop, to train the trainees regarding the skills and insights of puppetry work as a communication channel. In addition to the workshop, APTF will have a regular ‘Puppet Evening Club' for participants and mass people to display the art of puppetry.
The regular Puppet Evening Club and Puppet Performance at the final day will be a wide-ranging space for young people, people with special needs, social workers, teachers, and civic engaged individuals across Oman to exchange experiences and develop the capacities as agents for social change in their respective communities. APTF will include alumni in the Art Residency to solidify their capabilities and strengthen the emerging network of puppetry artists in the GCC. Alumni participation will enhance the experience of new students as they will be able to act as local mentors during and after the Residency
