Archive for 2011
Olivier Baghdadi is a young talented student who has been attending since more than a year, the free style painting workshops @ Roof68 workshops studio. He is influenced by the silver screen of roaring twenties in combination with teenage cartoonish style and graffiti tags where expressions and messages are as important to Olivier, as the illustration itself.
A short documentary that followed the Theater Based Peer Education initiative between June and December 2010, is out.The initiative was implemented by Y-PEER in partnership VAPA and supported by UNFPA;The documentary tracks the initiative’s steps from training a core team of peer educators and actors to developing awareness …plays on youth related health topics with high school students (video available in vapa channel on you tube).
Under the Y-PEER project established in 2008 and supported by UNFPA Lebanon, several activities and interventions have been developed and implemented by the Y-PEER network aiming at raising awareness of young people on HIV/AIDS, developing capacities of young people and NGOs in peer to peer education, conducting advocacy events for promoting healthy and responsible behaviors among young people, developing and using interactive and creative approaches as well as visibility tools to be used in the various activities. With the aim of expanding the network to the school sector, TBPE will be introduced in 3 schools on a pilot basis tapping on the expertise of VAPA.
UNFPA approached VAPA after a thorough assessment to select a theatrical institution to lead an initiative in TBPE in schools as part of its Y-PEER project. This initiative focuses on using theater techniques to raise awareness on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) topics including HIV/AIDS. These techniques are based on an interactive approach where the audience becomes an active participant in the scenes and their content.
VAPA is a non-profit organization registered in August 2009, with a mission aimed at:
“Enriching knowledge and awareness of basic social issues that regard human rights, social exclusion, conflict resolution, and the environment through artistic and cultural activities”
The theatre director and co-founder Lucien Bourjeily was approached by UNFPA to attend a master TBPE TOT in Alexandria, Egypt between the 5th and the 11th of April along with two actors from his theatrical troop where they were all exposed to all the different elements of the TBPE approach Lucien Bourjeily got further exposure to the TBPE approach in New York where his capacities in facilitation were developed during the month of June while conducting a study tour with Nite Star, a global Y-PEER organization partner.
This coming Saturday Roof 68 is hosting a day-long open house!
Experience the feel of an art studio, meet with the artists, acquire paintings and a wide selection of art books, taste all sorts of cookies!
Date: Saturday 5th of March, 2011 from 10 am till 10 pm !
Entrance is free but all proceeds from the sale of art books, paintings or cookies, as well as your generous donations will go to Color Our World project.
“We’re also hosting this gathering to introduce you to our Spring schedule of activities and to the artists that have recently joined the roof family”.
To check the map and address of Roof68, please visit www.roof68.com
N.B: There is a public parking in which you can park facing the MTV bldg, from the highway-bridge side, near the traffic lights, the parking has the name of Zahar parking.
Hello,
On behalf of Vapa Association (Visual and Performing arts association) and Vapa partner “Father Afif Osseiran Foundation” in the projectبدنا نولّع رومية بالألوان I am proud to share with you the info related to the activity that was a one of its kind in every sense and hopefully the beginning of many colorful journeys. Being grateful to have lived this experience and to have had the opportunity to add a little bit more colors to the lives of the young inmates detained in Roumie Juvenile prison do not fully express the state we’re all still in.
Roumie young inmates want to share a message with you (letter in arabic attached). In case as journalists you’re interested in publishing any content about the topic please contact us (contact info 03 466 764 / vapaorg@gmail.com) in order to receive a copy of the letter. Kindly find attached a picture (pictures are submitted upon request) and below is the project press release translated into English and French:
Press Release
بدنا نولّع رومية بالألوان | Renovating Roumieh with Colors
A slogan that Roumieh young detainees have chosen as a result of the completed / as a coronation of the renovation workshop of the Juvenile Aisle courtyard; an activity which has been conceptualized by Father Afif Osseiran Foundation in collaboration with Visual and Performing Arts Association “VAPA”.
It’s worth mentioning that this event wouldn’t have come to life without the determination, enthusiasm and courage of the youth who have sincerely expressed what they have done using words such as “!!!!إي والله لنخربا بالألوان” or “We will definitely destroy Roumieh with Colors”.
The planning process for this project has began around late October 2010 with a general outline which has been accelerated intensively beginning November 2010 and for the period of three consecutive months due to the efforts of the team made of more than twenty young detainees.
Finally, many thanks go out to every single individual who helped in the accomplishment of this philanthropic project!
اختار شباب مبنى الاحداث في سجن روميه هذا الشعاّر تتويجاً لإستكمال عمليات ترميم الباحة الخارجية لمبناهم، والتي تمّت تحت رعاية وإشراف مؤسسة الأب عفيف عسيران بالتعاون مع “جمعية الفنون البصرية والادائية” (VAPA) ويجدر الذكر بأنّه لم يكن هذا الحدث ليبصر النور لولا العزم والحماس والشجاعة التّي تحلّى بها الشباب الذين عبّرواعن ذلك بأصدق العبارات بعفويّتهم المعهودة من خلال إطلاق عبارات مثل “!!!!إي والله لنخربا بالألوان” وبدأ التخطيط للمشروع في أواخر شهر تشرين الأول حيث رسمت الخطوط العريضة له، ومن ثمّ إستمر العمل فيه على قدم وساق على مدى ثلاثة أشهر منذ تشرين الثاني بفضل جهود فريق عمل ضم ما يزيد عن عشرين شابًاً. شكر خاص لكلّ من ساهم في إنجاز هذا المشروع!
Roumié en voit de toutes les couleurs! “بدنا نولّع روميه بالألوان”!
Les jeunes de l’aile des mineurs à la prison de Roumié ont choisi ce slogan afin de couronner un atelier de réforme esthétique de la cour externe de leurs locaux, parrainée par La Fondation Père Afif Osseiran, en coopération avec l’association VAPA.
Ce projet n’aurait pas pu voir le jour sans la volonté, le courage et l’entrain des jeunes. Un groupe de travail d’une vingtaine de mineurs ont en effet travaillé sans relâche pendant trois mois, depuis Novembre. La planification du projet avait commencé fin Octobre avec la mise en place des lignes directrices.
Un grand merci à tous ceux qui ont volontairement contribué leurs efforts à la réalisation de ce projet !
Legal Registration at the Ministry of Finance#2540837
For Donations: IBL Bank (Hazmieh) USD Account,IBAN# LB79005200180023000181153013
VAPA Association 
