How Beautiful Camp’s Transition project links democracy, human rights, dignity

By Editor

THE Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Czech Aid is supporting Jos Repertory Theatre (JRT) to set up a creative camp called Beautiful Camp in the cities of Jos and Abuja. The camp is an equality and non-discrimination project leveraging on equal political and public participation involving youths from the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. The camp, which is both virtual and physical, will open with seminars and interactions before a 3-day physical camp meeting in Abuja involving all the participants and a core group of facilitators who will reside and share ideas in a mutually respectful manner with participants from all the geo-political zones of Nigeria.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs already has a project called the Transition project under which the Jos Repertory Theatre project is domiciled. Using the arts, the programme tends to localize the Transition Promotion Policy of the Czech Republic that encourages all aspects of democratic culture, respect for human rights, the rule of law and the wellbeing of the society at large. It is a project that is aimed at upholding the principles of full participation in public affairs leading to a global dialogue and the better enjoyment of human rights.

Beautiful Camp is hinged on the idea that freedoms of thought and expression are essential to human dignity, and thus human dignity is part of the firm foundation on which democracy, rule of law and public participation are built and which leads to a full realization of the human potential.

It is expected that Beautiful Camp will embody these ideals, including but will not be limited to sharing ideas and experiences on freedom of expression and thought, conscience and religion, education and the overall transition promotion policy. The youths will participate in active citizenship games and situations thus developing their ability to evaluate information critically and learning to form their own views. The goal of Beautiful Camp is to show how important their voice is, supporting them in articulating that voice and showing what they can do when they mobilise and work together.

A scene from Zulu Sofola’s Wedlock of the Gods

According to Abraham Omale, one of the Camp participants, he found it enlightening and unique that the project is “emphasizing the need to support young people’s voices while enhancing its appeal as a vibrant weapon of transformation.”

The project will target representatives from across Nigeria through a combination of online and in-person workshops. These workshops will utilize theatre as a powerful tool to build resilience within civil society organizations. It is instructive to note that the Jos Repertory Theatre toured the Czech Republic in 2022 with Vaclav Havel’s iconic play, Audience after performances in Nigeria.

JRT will be working in close association with the Czech Embassy in Abuja to realize the ideals of Beautiful Camp. Part of the aims of the Beautiful Camp will be seeking for the common good across the most difficult divides and offering hope in challenging and difficult times. Beautiful Camp project is supported by the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Czech Aid under its Transition programme.