The Breaking Walls innovative approach to educational collaboration, community-building and social justice is a true model for art and peace education, global citizenship and youth empowerment. Each young person returns to their home community after our ensemble writing, performing, and peace building experience having explored their imagination, and embraced their creativity. Breaking Walls “graduates” emerge armed with compassion, collaboration, accountability, and commitment, hungry to nurture a world in which they can all trust one another.
Isaac Alzaghari of Dehaisha Refugee Camp believes the Breaking Walls impact is:
“It is important for every young person to participate in Breaking Walls, but even more so for me as a Palestinian young man. In fact my future depends on meeting young energy, learning from their experiences, and improving my personal skills and knowledge, which will allow me to confidently share the struggle of my people in many open minded ways. My time in Santiago will mark a turning point in my near future and help me better shape the direction I’m taking as a hopeful Palestinian young man.” NOTE: Isaac is going to Burqen village in Jenin in January to teach children basic English!!
Naya Mason in Brooklyn believes the Breaking Walls impact is:
“What I take home from Breaking Walls is the motivation to be a better leader for the future. I take home ideas and turn them into actions. When I perform with my brothers and sisters, What I write down are not just strokes of ink on paper. Every word we speak is a message, a step towards peace. Through poetry, song and even dance, our message is always heard and encouraged by the members of our audience, no matter what country they may be from. Breaking walls has given me a family from so many different cultures and backgrounds. They have all taught me new things, and changed me into someone who wants to make a difference, instead of just reading about it. I see potential in all of them, to be great leaders and minds that will change the world for the better. In a time where so many are divided based on gender, race, religion and language, It is always important to create unity and acceptance between all people.”
Indiphile Nqevu in Cape Town believes the Breaking Walls impact is:
“I am a young woman from a poor background in a poor community. A community where there are gangs, teenage prednancy, violence. These situations made me see things from one prespective. They made me think that ‘This is the way of living, this is how it will be in my life. But I have been given a great opportunity – to be a Breaking Walls artist. Breaking walls allows us to get our voices out through our creative writing about the challenges we all face and how we can overcome them. Breaking walls gives us the experience of struggling for peace, love and unity. We come to understand that with unity we can break the walls of hate, low self-esteem, and create peace, love, acceptance. Breaking walls teaches us not to jusdge people as we are all the same, and yet – each of Breaking walls has constructed me into a great leader and a good example for other youth.”
