ABOUT US
Home and Beyond is an integrated communication tool for the PETA members, staff and partners of the PETA Mekong Partnership Project. It consists of a weblog and occasional e-newsletter containing project news updates, reflections, journals, messages written for internal reading/sharing of members and alumni of PETA and its Project partners.
Members can share their thoughts and reflections on our practice of theater and cultural work within and beyond the boundaries of our “homes”.
Home and Beyond provides avenues for a more informal exchange and open dialogs among performing artists, theater/drama practitioners, and cultural workers from the Southeast Asia Region to encourage critical reflections and sharing of insights on theater and cultural work.
This also aims to maintain closer communication links and relationships between and among PETA members and Project partners through the sharing of personal experiences, opinions, feedbacks, and reflections on our respective roles as artists.
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Timely entries will be featured in the occasional Home and Beyond e-newsletter and sent to members and partners of PETA via email.
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Wednesday 29 October 2008
PETA Celebrates Children’s Month With a Theater Festival
The fight for children’s rights has been a long one for the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA). Since its humble beginnings in the 80’s, PETA has been known to be pioneer and active guardian of the rights of the child – with its goal and mission to liberate and empower Filipino children through the arts. With theater arts education as its tool, PETA envisioned to create a safe, supportive and conducive environment wherein children grow to become creative, self-aware, resilient, critical and responsible citizens of the Filipino society. Because of this, PETA eventually formed its own Children’s Theater Program (CTP) which centrally dedicates its work in creating a good life for Filipino children.
As part of the program’s objectives, along with the celebration of the Philippines’ National Children’s Month and commemoration of the efforts done by PETA and its partners during the last three decades, PETA is hosting a National Children’s Theater Festival from October 24 - 26, 2008. A three-day event that aims to bring together different sectors of the society: government, students, professionals, non-government organizations and the civil society in an occasion that celebrates and recognizes the rights of children.
The Festival, titled “Likhang Bata, Likhang Buháy!” (Children’s Creations, Living Creations!) and themed, “Creating a Good Life for Filipino Children”, will be held at the PETA Theater Center. Other than showcasing the works done by PETA in the last three years, special performances that are centered on focusing the experiences and highlighting the creative outputs of children will also be presented. Aside from the presentations, there will also be a grand array of workshops, exhibits, conferences and other activities for the participants of the festivalActivities during the three days are catered specially to different age groups: Day 1 for young children 7 to 12, Day 2 for teenagers 13 to 17 and Day 3 for young adults who work with children. During the festival, children and adults are expected to gain knowledge of the rights of the child, as well a s discuss four rights categories: right to survival, protection, development and participation.
“The festival itself is PETA’s definition of what a good life for children is –
providing a fun, creative and supportive environment for children as they explore and express themselves in the various fields of arts,” says Ms. Marichu Belarmino, Project Director of PETA’s Children’s Theater Program.
The festival will kick off with a special performance of Christine Bellen’s “Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang”, a children’s musical about a grandmother telling magical stories to her grandchildren.
"The musical's significance is in sending the message to children and adults the value of storytelling; of going back to Philippines’ literary roots of legends and folktales, an d even creating our own stories that speak of our values,” says Ms. Marichu.
Other than PETA’s program on children and the Festival, it has also most recently developed resource materials such as CDs, cards and guidebooks to help educate the public about children’s rights.
PETA SEA Group
