“To say that being a part of Breaking Walls has been life-changing is an understatement. Since I’ve been a part of the Breaking Walls program my life has literally changed mentally, physically, and emotionally. As a black gay male who plans on working in the field of mental health and is currently working in the field of social work, I’m aware of the importance of mental health especially when trying to navigate the various other parts of my identity.
“Breaking Walls is literally the catalyst for me to search for new ways to tackle the challenge of finding ways to deal with mental health because it promotes expression and creativity for people of ALL backgrounds.
“The inclusivity of this program has blessed me with opportunities that I never thought would even be possible as a kid. I wish to see that opportunity be extended to as many young artists as possible as we start our journey towards the 2022 Yerevan Summit.“ Dwayne, Detroit artist
Our tenth anniversary 2022 Summit will bring together 42 young people like Dwayne from Barcelona, Berlin, Bethlehem, Brooklyn, Cape Town, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Detroit, Santiago, Sarajevo, Tanger, Tripoli, and Warsaw to build a bridge with their peers in Yerevan, Armenia.
The 2022 Summit structure demonstrates our vision by utilizing the following elements:
Pen-Page-Stage– participants use creative writing, video, visual, vocal art, and dance to build self-awareness and empathy.
Ensemble-Building/Peacemaking– participants develop a sense of community and mindfulness through their collective performance.
Community Service– participants foster a sense of gratitude through civic and community engagement by volunteering at a local Yerevan youth organization, animal shelter, and environmental organization.
Creative Activist Lab– participants craft “seed” ideas to positively impact home communities by modeling the United National Sustainable Development Goals for 2030.
Leadership Training – young artists are encouraged to step into our ambassador leadership roles and provide mentorship to their peers.
Health & Wellness – participants will be involved in facilitated conversations in order to better understand that a healthy child is a whole child and explore the concept of “deep listening”.
Cultural Explorations– participants actively experience Armenia’s rich culture by partaking in trips to local art museums, walking tours, cooking classes, and visual art classes all while creating shared experiences with one another.
From June 28 to July 16, 2022, the individual vulnerability will be transformed into a rich and resilient chorus of equity, truth-telling, and justice as participants evoke artistic principles to share their life experiences with a global community.