The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 16.1957 Tuesday, 29 November 2005
From: Harry Keyishian <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 28 Nov 2005 09:41:59 -0500
Subject: Globe Organization's "Tent for Peace" Heads for Lebanon
The Daily Star
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Shakespeare-inspired Tent for Peace
Sewn-together forgiveness handkerchiefs go on world tour
By Nada Bakri
BEIRUT: A Tent for Peace is headed for Lebanon, woven by children from
around the world and inspired by one of William Shakespeare's best-known
plays. In the ambitious hope of promoting love, peace and forgiveness,
the Shakespeare's Globe organization's Globe Education program launched
an international handkerchief design contest based on the playwright's
Othello. In the play, Othello gives his wife Desdemona a handkerchief
"spotted with strawberries" as a love-token. But when Desdemona cannot
find it, Othello's jealous suspicions erupt into rage and Desdemona
offers a second handkerchief - a handkerchief of peace and forgiveness -
to calm him.
Through the Shakespeare and Islam program, youth organizations and
students from around the world were asked to design their own
"handkerchief of love" or "handkerchief of peace."
Designs were received from many countries in the Arab World, including
Egypt, Morocco, Palestine and Lebanon.
The tent, made in the style of a traditional Mongolian Yurt out of the
hand-embroidered "love and peace handkerchiefs," was sewn together by
Lebanese women from the Societe St. Vincent de Paul's Artisanat Mabrouk.
The Tent for Peace will begin a world tour in January 2006, and is
scheduled to make a stop in Martyrs' Square in Beirut in May 2006.
"This tent is very symbolic for Lebanon," said Youmna Asseily,
chairwoman of the English Speaking Union (ESU), which, in cooperation
with the Lebanese American University (LAU) and British Council, has
organized theatrical workshops in Beirut for the past two years on love,
madness and conflict resolution.
"Through these workshops Shakespeare's Globe realized how much the
Lebanese were concerned about love, peace and forgiveness. People are
eager to live in a peaceful environment and are longing for stability,"
she added.
The tent will be a sanctuary for the telling of stories of
reconciliation and peace from around the world.
"The tent is a very beautiful object. It is a reflection of students'
and children's views and aspirations of love, peace and forgiveness, and
hopefully it will bring people from different religions, backgrounds and
domains together around love peace and forgiveness," Asseily said.
According to Louise Curran, spokesperson for Shakespeare's Globe, the
Tent for Peace will also be used during workshops that the institution
will organize in Lebanon to explore themes of peace, forgiveness and
reconciliation.
In addition to touring throughout England, the tent will visit a dozen
other countries around the world.
A series of workshops will also be held under the tent for the benefit
of Lebanese students from various schools, including Alayly High School,
Al-Ghobeiry School, Ali bin Abi Taleb Primary School, Khaled bin
al-Walid College and the Al-Walid Omar bin al-Khathab School.
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