Reference: Tamila Tasheva, CrimeaSOS

'CrimeaSOS' logo

NGO 'CrimeaSOS'

Registration code 39884344

To whom it may concern.

By this letter the 'CrimeaSOS' NGO certifies its partnership with 'Theatre for Dialogue' NGO in the realm of social adaptation of the internally displaced persons (IDPs).

'Theatre for Dialogue' NGO collaborates with 'CrimeaSOS' NGO from March 2015. From that time we realised two projects aimed at integration of IDPs, fighting the stereotypes about them, creating dialogue and preventing conflicts in local communities. As the result of the project “Forum Theatre about the Lives of the IDPs” the team of 'Theatre for Dialogue' NGO created a production “One Way Ticket”. The production was performed two times in Kiev and also in five other Ukrainian cities (Dnipropetrovsk, Lviv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Ivano-Frankivsk). The show was received with great excitement by both hosting communities and IDPs. During the performances and the following discussions the visitors and the participants highlighted that this experience was very important and transformative for them, because it helped them to understand the other side better, to overcome the stereotypes and also to see the systemic issues that cause the conflicts and discrimination. The fact that the production was shown in several cities also allowed to see regional peculiarities of IDP's integration and the needs in different cities and regions, and also to highlight special needs of female and male IDPs.

As the result of the above mentioned project a group of women-IDPs initiated the project “Female Stories of Displacement: from Dialogue to Action”. This project got the funding as a part of “Strengthening the Participation of Civil Society in the Work of Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine in the Process of National Reconciliation”, which is funded by the Conflict, Security and Stabilisation Fund UK. The aim of the project is to create the space of support for internally displaced women (IDPs) in the city of Kiev by analysing their needs and looking for joint solutions by means of theatre. Working with 23 women-IDPs from Donetsk and Luhansk regions and from Crimea 'Theatre for Dialogue' members created the production that highlighted the gender aspects of displacement and the typical issues that the women face while integrating into the local communities. This production - “Castles Made of Rainbows” - was shown in Kiev two times. Every time the spectators noted that the show points out the realistic situations which women and men often face but which the spectators haven't regard as discrimination or gender stereotypes before. The spectators and the participants of the performance also searched for the strategies to solve the situations together. Among the strategies: rethinking of the gender roles, strengthening the confidence of women, creating the possibilities for partial employment of the young mothers, dialogue between men and women and spreading the information about alternative models of behavior of men in conflicts as the means of preventing domestic violence. The project keeps existing in the form of the club of women-IDPs. The meetings and educational events happen there.

'CrimeaSOS' NGO recommends 'Theatre for Dialogue' NGO as the organisation that made a valuable contribution into solving the problem of providing help to the people of Ukraine who suffered from warfare and also into creating dialogue between the IDPs and the hosting communities members through theatre. Taking into account these points 'CrimeaSOS' NGO asks you to support 'Theatre for Dialogue' NGO as a professional partner for realising projects.

Sincerely yours,

The Head of the Board of 'CrimeaSOS' NGO

Stamp, signature

Tamila Tasheva

Legal address: 01010 Kiev, Suvorova st. 9 

phone number: (044) 280 34 75

E-mail: help@Krymsos.com