“Peace Club” is an initiative that was implemented between November 2020 and October 2021 by Dancers Citizens South in partnership with “Search for Common Ground” and “The Youth National Observatory”. With a strong focus on art and citizenship, the club offered a fertile ground for members to explore the transformative potential of creative expression along with the sense of citizenship.
The groups’ fundamental activities took place in Mareth Youth Centre, where young people from this marginalized region gained access to a workshop aimed at exploring and developing effective strategies from networking to improving communication skills and utilizing self-marketing mechanisms to promote personal and professional growth. The program included sharing the success story of DJ BlackJack who was born and raised in Gabes. Growing up in a challenging environment with limited opportunities, BlackJack pursued his passion for music which ultimately led him to reach international recognition.
Additionally, a series of training sessions were organized with the objective of empowering young individuals, encouraging their active civic participation, and engaging them in public life. Citizenship-focused programs contributed to educating members about their rights, responsibilities, and the importance of active participation in shaping society and promoting social justice.
These workshops served to create young peace ambassadors who believed in the significance of promoting local peace and unity, a commitment that had been taken seriously by many participants and brought forth continuous efforts and attempts to make a positive impact on the local level.
Indeed, the belief in art as a tool to inspire, unite, and drive positive change in society had motivated the arrangement of an Artistic Bootcamp for young participants who employed and made use of their knowledge, experience, and skills to create a collaborative artwork renouncing violence and conveying a powerful message of peace. This empowering experience helped them develop a deeper understanding of peacebuilding through the lens of art which was an objective assisting the club throughout its whole journey.
In brief, incorporating themes like conflict resolution, social justice, and community building as well as enhancing civic engagement among the youth was a stepping stone towards establishing a vibrant community based on harmony, tolerance, and cooperation.
DCS # Peace_Club # SFCG # ONJ # DCS_2020_2021
