This document discusses using arts and media to promote conflict transformation and cultural pluralism in Sri Lanka. It outlines how theater, film, literature and other forms can be used in two stages: the production process to transform participants, and then distribution to facilitate deep dialogue. Some examples provided include bilingual drama groups, documentaries on minorities, and an adaptation of Antigone at a university to address themes like human rights violations during the conflict. The project achieved recognition for promoting critical dialogue and evaluations found it helped blur divisions and create open discussion among students. Challenges remain in sustaining platforms for dialogue and integrating arts-based approaches into broader social movements.

1. From Chaos to Creativity
Transformative interventions in deep
culture

2. Conceptual Framework
• Deep Dialogue as a transformative tool
• Individual, relational and structural/cultural
levels of change
Non Violence
CreativityEmpathy
Behavioral violence
Structural
violence
Cultural
violence

3. Forms
• Theatre (mainstream, forum, street, experimental,
mobile, folk)
• Film and Photography
• Literature
• Media (television, radio)
• New media (web)
• Community arts and media
Transformative interventions usually include 2 stages:
• The production process as a space for transformation
• The outreach/distribution process as space for deep
dialogue

4. Challenging stereotypes and
promoting cultural pluralism
• Developing art, music and theatre products. These are
in turn used by other FLICT partner organisations
• Bilingual drama groups (InterAct Art, Theatre of the
people) TV programmes (YATV)
• Using music for discussions and advocacy
• Documentaries on minor minorities, history
• Collaborative work between the Colombo and Eastern
university and inclusion of new topics into the history
department.

5. Achievements
• Groundbreaking work on promoting bilingualism:
Janakaraliya, Thothanna, YATV Palam, Akasa
Kusum, Language rights
– Jayakaraliya – State drama festival for best play
“Charandas” in both Sinhalese and Tamil. First theater
group to use arena format
– Thothanna – Best Translation State Literary Festival
• State recognition of partner work in promoting
critical dialogue : Freedom Theatre Group
• YATV Palam /a – Pioneered the production of a
regular bilingual type programme in the history of
television in Sri Lanka

6. Examples from Theatre
• Theatre of the people
• Academic Players of Kelaniya University
project : Theatre for civic education: Antigone
• Freedom theatre group production on
politicization of media: No Return

8. Art based approach to education
• Mainstreaming Conflict Transformation and civic
education
• An academic exercise/ hands on theatre
education for BA in Theatre and Drama
• Strengthening Academic Players as an alternative
movement within Kelaniya University
• Breaking away from insularity: bringing in artists
from outside, collaborating with other
universities
• Value additions/ unintended impacts: other
domains of study such as research and
photography

9. Relevance of Antigone
• Adapting a Greek Text to ‘a day like today’
“I first read Antigone in the period of 1988/89. It was a
period of chaos and violence. Many Sinhala, Tamil,
Muslim, Burger citizens regardless of age died without
dignity and were denied proper burial. Some people
started searching for the disappeared and new
organisations came up for locating the disappeared.
My inspiration to produce Antigone came out of this
experience.”
- Priyankara Ratnayaka, Senior Lecturer and
director of Antigone
(source: newspaper interview, Silumina, 08th August,
2010 )

10. • “While watching Antigone, I remembered a time
when I took my child to school, and had to cover
her face so that she would not see the burning
corpse by the roadside. It gave me very vivid and
painful memories, but it’s important not to
forget.”
– Spectator, focus group discussion on 3rd September
2010
• “My teachers talked about this[1988/89], but I
haven’t lived through an experience like that in
my lifetime. Maybe what happens in the North is
similar.”
– Actor/2nd yr Student, focus group discussion on 3rd
September 2010

11. Themes/Issues
• Ways of governing: authoritative vs. democratic
• The role of the citizen in a state
• Civic courage/individual responsibility
• The relationship of the State Ruler with his own
relatives and general public
• Death and Human dignity
• Defining Terrorism/Patriotism
• Role of the religious leaders and advisors
• Gender equality
• Power-greed

12. Impacts within the university
• “Our university environment does not give us
space ‘to work together’ with our teachers. Our
world is a closed one. This gave us the
opportunity to blur the distance between
teachers and students. And create an open
space.”
• “Our group is made of people with different
ideologies. We don’t think alike. But we can do a
play together.”
• “We are a group that does not belong to any
particular university clique “alayo’’ and “poddo”.
And we have gained recognition as an alternative
group.”

13. Impacts: creating a public discourse
• “When most other students are either shouting slogans
or throwing stones or merely vegetating in the dismal
university world, the very fact that these young people
should involve themselves in theatre is something so
refreshing and so encouraging that by itself it is worthy
of the highest commendation. But even more
praiseworthy is the fact that they should venture to
produce nothing less than Sophocles’ Antigone.”
– Gaston Perera, The Island, July 23, 2010
• Since its premier on 14th July 2010 over 15 media
reviews
• 3 discussion forums and a line up of performances and
forums in universities and schools

14. Lessons Learnt
• Effectiveness depends on technical perfection of
the product as well as contemporary relevance
• Outreach and ability tap different platforms for
dialogue (group discussions, media, web etc)
• University as an institutional entry point ensures
sustainability and credibility
• Possibility to upscale/ replicate
• Technical challenges: limited number of
facilitators for moderating discussions

15. Challenges and Way Forward
• Contextual challenges (political, economic,
social, institutional)
• Outreach and integration in to a broader
social movement
• From dialogue to activism???
• Creating consistent platforms for deep
dialogue
• Networking for a people’s movement