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Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP): Informing the Rwandan National Curriculum

1. Summary of the impact

Research at University of Lincoln has contributed to international practices of conflict prevention and shaping the national curriculum in Rwanda through applied performance practice-as-research. The research has had wide-ranging impacts on international practices of conflict prevention; public awareness and understanding of conflict issues; public access to and participation in political processes; the design and delivery of school curricula and new extra-curricular opportunities for young people; the inspiration, creation and support of new forms of artistic and social expression (particularly in performance art); and the integration of participatory practices as a teaching and learning method in the UK and abroad.

2. Underpinning research

The impacts described here arise from research conducted by Professor Ananda Breed since joining the University of Lincoln in January 2018. Breed works both nationally and internationally as an applied performance practitioner and researcher, contributing to several important projects exploring the relationship between participatory art and peacebuilding processes. Breed served as Co-Investigator on the £2M AHRC GCRF Network Plus ‘Changing the Story: building inclusive societies with and for young people in 5 post conflict countries’ (NB grant confirmed Oct 2017, research commencing 2018). She implemented a critical review pilot project entitled ‘Mobile Arts for Peace’ (MAP) working with partners University of Leeds, Rwanda Education Board (REB) and the Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace (IRDP) alongside five schools in the Eastern Province. This project received £100,000 AHRC GCRF funding for project ‘Ubwuzu: Shaping the Rwandan National Curriculum through Arts’ to extend the initial pilot project to the other four provinces (Western, Northern, Southern, Kigali) reaching 25 schools in total (2018-20). In January 2020, Breed was awarded as Principal Investigator of a £2M AHRC GCRF Network Plus project to extend her research and its impact to three additional countries including Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia and Nepal. This AHRC GCRF Network Plus project ‘Mobile Arts for Peace: Informing the National Curriculum and Youth Policy for Peacebuilding in Kyrgyzstan, Rwanda, Indonesia, and Nepal’ 2020-24. ( https://map.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/) includes 8 Co-Investigators and 22 partnering organisations.

Across this work, Breed’s research investigates the relationship of underlying collective or ‘public transcripts’ and personal or ‘hidden’ transcripts to socio-political contexts of conflict [3.1] working with local communities to identify how cultural forms can be adapted for dialogic purposes and to stage possible solutions to conflict issues. Breed's research has developed arts-based methods that: a) help communities and individuals forge peace-building initiatives in post-conflict countries [3.2 and 3.3]; b) engage young people in peace-building strategies after conflict and trauma; and c) develop policy and knowledge-exchange partnerships co-led by countries affected by conflict and trauma [3.4]. Through MAP, Breed’s research has underpinned practice-based initiatives in post-genocide Rwanda. Notably, Breed’s research responded to the UNESCO Rwanda 2017 report (‘Diversity of Cultural Expressions’) to inform the subject of Music, Dance and Drama in primary and secondary schools in Rwanda.

This research has contributed new knowledge about how embodied local discourses may inform or counter hegemonic or national constructions of post-conflict identity formation. It responds to wider international debates concerning participatory practices for conflict prevention. Breed developed this specific approach through her consultation with artists, educators, young people, academics and CSO workers to adapt local games and performance traditions into applied practices for dialogic purposes [3.2]. Her research exploring the use of the arts in post-conflict contexts yielded several notable publications [3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4].

3. References to the research

3.1 Breed A 2019 ‘Speech Politics: Performing Political Scripts’, in Theatrical Speech Acts. (eds) Erika Fischer-Lichte and Torsten Jost, Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003011118-6

3.2 Breed A 2019 ‘Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP): Youth and Participatory Arts in Rwanda’, in Participatory Arts in International Development. (eds) Paul Cooke & Inés Soria Donlan, Routledge.

Available on request.

3.3 Breed A 2019 ‘Competing Narratives and Performances in Rwanda’s Gacaca Courts’, in Rwanda Since 1994: Stories of Change. (eds) Hannah Grayson, Nicki Hitchcott, Liverpool

University Press.

Available on request.

3.4 Breed A 2020 ‘Epic Performances in Central Asia’, in Creating Culture in (Post) Socialist Central Asia. (eds) Ananda Breed, Eva Marie Dubuisson & Ali Igmen, Palgrave.

Available on request.

4. Details of the impact

Breed's underpinning research focuses on the relationship between applied performance practice-as-research and international practices of conflict prevention. Her research has delivered measurable and sustainable benefits for peacebuilding initiatives and civil society organizations (Institute for Research and Dialogue for Peace, Kwetu Film Institute, and Uyisenga Ni Imanzi) in all five provinces in Rwanda. Many of the broad benefits of the research are described in two Kwetu documentaries about the impact of Breed’s methodology in Rwanda [5.1].

More specifically this research has had demonstrable national impact through underpinning the development of: (a) subject provision for Music, Dance and Drama and Peace Education within Rwanda's National Curriculum Framework; (b) MAP activities which, to date, have supported the teaching practice of over 479 educators and worked with 9,682 Rwandan young people [5.2]; and (c) a Youth Advisory Board (2019) composed of youth representatives from each province to make recommendations for Rwanda’s Curriculum Framework. Between 2018-2020, MAP was the Rwandan strand for the GCRF ‘Changing the Story' Project (University of Leeds). As a result of the listed impacts below, Breed has been awarded a £2M GCRF award (2020-24) to expand MAP to three additional ODA countries: Kyrgyzstan, Indonesia, and Nepal.

Development of MAP Curriculum and contribution to Rwandan National Curriculum

Breed conducted the pilot project for MAP in Rwanda's Eastern Province, which extended to the other four provinces (Western, Northern, Southern, Kigali). Applied performance is new to this region, and MAP adult trainers report in personal testimonials that MAP’s participatory techniques have ' enriched teachers' communication skills and leadership skills' and had a ' huge impact' on teachers ‘ using [MAP] methodologies in teaching and learning processes' in schools across all five provinces of Rwanda [5.3].

In 2020, the University of Rwanda commissioned a critical review report that concluded that MAP has demonstrably ' contributed to the academic achievement of students and raised their leadership skills' and that MAP has ' contributed greatly to conflict resolution among students in schools' [5.2]. The report cited testimonials from MAP trainers who commented that using MAP techniques in their classrooms had increased their confidence as teachers and enhanced the ' motivation', ' critical thinking', and ' discipline of learners' [5.2 & 5.3]. Breed's contributions to teaching and school resources in all five Rwandan provinces include a curriculum manual, cultural arts workshops, training of trainer workshops, youth camps, and establishment of MAP clubs and arts-based electives within schools. The Rwanda Education Board has recognized the benefits of MAP's participatory approaches as addressing the need for a national curriculum in Music, Dance and Drama in Rwanda. The Director of the IRDP, notes that Breed led a productive ' partnership with Rwanda Education Board (REB) and College of Education, University of Rwanda for MAP to provide both formal and informal routes to inform the national curriculum' [5.4]. REB's endorsement of the MAP curriculum ensured the sustainability of MAP training and methodology in Rwanda. The Director General from REB noted ‘Breed has served as an exemplary researcher, trainer and consultant to inform the National Curriculum through informal and formal mechanisms working alongside partnering organisations…Breed has sought to serve an existing need; to inform the National Curriculum in the subject of Music, Dance and Drama alongside Peace Education.’ [5.5].

Integration of interdisciplinary participatory arts into peacebuilding initiatives

Leading civil society organisations including the IRDP, Kwetu Film Institute and Uyisenga Ni Imanzi, noted the importance of Breed's work in enhancing dialogue and peacebuilding initiatives [5.1, 5.4, 5.6. 5.7]. Uyisenga Ni Imanzi is an organization that provides support to orphan-headed households in Rwanda and its Director, Chaste Uwihoreye, recognizes that MAP has demonstrably improved the organisation's understanding of ' how young people can play an active part in research, policy and community-building'. Uwihoreye notes that MAP has provided Uyisenga Ni Imanzi 'with a clearer understanding of the strategic steps which we could take to generate new opportunities for youth-led community dialogue that could provide opportunities to address trauma and conflict resolution' [5.7] Similarly, Breed's focus on local Rwandan cultural forms within applied performance has provided teachers with exceptional participatory resources that connect Rwandan cultural heritages to psychosocial initiatives. IDRP's testimonial affirmed that MAP ' has achieved exceptional impact due to the curriculum design, training, and facilitation of Breed' and has equipped teachers to ' integrate psychosocial approaches to mental health within the design and delivery of the project, to create participatory theatre performances based on conflict issues, and to develop the role of arts for dialogue and peacebuilding' [5.4]. Through the ‘MAP at Home’ project funded by UKRI GCRF/Newton Fund (~£500k, 2020-22) Breed (PI) has connected the existing MAP community with leading mental health providers in Rwanda during COVID-19, including the Rwanda Biomedical Centre and the National Rehabilitation Services.

MAP Youth Advisory Board (YAB)

MAP has demonstrably widened young people's access to, and participation in, political processes. This has occurred through the development of a Youth Advisory Board (YAB) to work alongside the Rwanda Arts Council and National Youth Council. The YAB has delivered policy-informing documents related to young people's issues and problems to policymakers. According to a YAB member 'With MAP I have come to understand that art [Music, Dance, and Drama] plays an important role in the Rwandan society. Art (for instance through songs) can expose problems prevailing in Rwandan society. Art serves as an efficient means of communication' [5.2].

5. Sources to corroborate the impact

5.1 Two MAP documentaries, by Kwetu Film Institute, and an interview with MAP Youth Facilitators about the impact of Breed’s methodology in Rwanda. Recordings available on request.

5.2 Critical Review and MAP Impact Report for the year 2018 (published August 2019).

5.3 Written testimonials from Master Trainers trained by Breed as part of MAP. Feedback forms from Training the Trainer Workshops and Youth Camps.

5.4 Written testimonial: Director of Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace (IRDP).

5.5 Written testimonial from Rwanda Education Board.

5.6 Written testimonial: Director of Kwetu Film Institute.

5.7 Written testimonial: Director of Uyisenga Ni Imanzi.

Additional contextual information

Grant funding

Grant number Value of grant
AH/T008164/1 £88,000
AH/T005599/1 £142,204
AH/R005354/1 £30,000
EP/V034502/1 £469,829
AH/S005978/1 £86,399