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Union Internationale de la Marionnette

Non-Governmental Organization affiliated to UNESCO

News

Dear all, 

The EDT commission received keen reply since the release of the news. Till the deadline, we received 15 applications from 11 countries all over the world: Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Hong Kong (China), Malaysia, The Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, Turkey, USA. It was pleasant to have received such number of very good presentations.
 
After the voting of our members Amihan Bonifacio-Ramolete, Asa Viklund and Livija Kroflin, and after a careful examine, we are happy to announce the result. The five awardees are:
1. Puppets and Passages by Artsolute Ltd (Singapore)
2. The Puppetry in Education and Psychosocial Support by Dafa Puppet Theatre (Czech Republic/ Jordan)
3. The Show of Popelillo by Gibdel Wilson (Costa Rica)
4. Larisa Telnova (Russia)
5. Special Puppet Project by Roberto Silva (Brazil).
 
The Puppets and Passages rebuilds community resilience in South East Asia, where its people suffers from natural disasters and lack of opportunities in rural communities. The project also aims at educate on environmentalism and provide psychological first aid and psychosocial intervention to places of disaster and poverty.
 
The Dafa Puppet Theatre establishes small groups of puppet theatre for children in poor areas. In the project “The Puppetry in Education and Psychosocial Support” tackles the social issues happening in Syrian refugees’ communities, like violence, sexual harassment, child labour etc. They conduct forum puppet theatre tours and provide training of trainers.
 
Gibdel Wilson is a medical doctor who does free puppet shows for children on need like homeless, orphaned. He started to do this after one earthquake in El Salvador after which many children could not sleep. The Show of Papelillo was used to help relief the post trauma fear of the children. The show has expanded its size over time and is playing in various international organizations like American Red Cross.
 
Larisa Telnova actively participates in therapy, especially puppet therapy. Her previous projects include researches of destructive attitudes of juvenile offenders and the possibilities in correcting such with puppets. Besides puppets, she utilizes dolls made of polymer clay nad traditional folk dolls in therapy with respect to different concerns. Larisa wishes to participate in some training programmes.
 
The Special Puppet Project by Roberto Silva involves people with special needs in puppet shows. It includes three phases, during which the project gradually develops in size and in influence. It spreads the message of inculsive communities by means of puppet shows.
 
Congratulations to all awarded candidates. They will be subsidized to participate in the 2016 UNIMA congress in Tolosa to present their achievements, or be supported for some training courses. By late December, sponsorship will be sent out.