Theatre of dialogue: when the community speaks and is heard
On 23 October 2025, the Chernihiv Polytechnic National University Scientific Library hosted a Playback Theatre event on the topic of ‘Theatre of dialogue for solving local problems’. The event was moderated by certified business coach, lecturer, and game practitioner Olena Ponomarenko.
The event brought together active community members and representatives of educational and public initiatives who seek to find new ways to solve local issues through the art of dialogue.
The participants became co-authors of the performance: they shared their own stories and recreated them on an improvised stage without a script or rehearsals. Sincerity and empathy in dialogue helped them to better understand each other, hear different points of view, and seek solutions together.
The programme of the event combined elements of interactive learning and creative improvisation. Participants got to know each other through the exercise ‘My Name and My Value,’ identified expectations, and jointly created rules for a safe, trusting atmosphere. During the mini-lecture ‘Theatre as an Instrument of Social Change,’ they discussed the issues that concern the community and how art can help talk about difficult topics.
During the interactive part, ‘Dialogue of Decisions,’ participants shared their thoughts on what they had seen: what moved them, what conclusions they had drawn, and what could be changed in their own communities. The event concluded with an exercise called ‘Final Word,’ in which everyone had the opportunity to summarise their feelings and share what was most valuable to them.
Playback theatre became a vivid example of how the art of dialogue can bring people together, promote mutual understanding, and foster shared responsibility for change in the community.
The project is being implemented by the Human Rights Foundation within the framework of the ‘Together We Can’ programme with the support of the IFA and the German Foreign Ministry.
The project partners in the Chernihiv region are Chernihiv Polytechnic National University and the Centre for Gender Education.
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