MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work

338
Instructions
Explain that the participants will work in small groups to create a monument using
their own bodies. Each group will have to agree on one event, person or community
that they want to celebrate and record for future generations.
Ask participants to get into groups of four to six. They have 20 minutes to discuss,
agree on and then create their monument. They should also decide on a title.
Each group presents its monument, without saying anything about what it is
supposed to portray. Those who are observing may walk around and try to
guess the title or theme, and they may also ask questions about the meaning of
certain parts, as long as these do not refer to the whole monument or to the
overall theme.
For each monument, give the observers a chance to guess what they think it
was meant to be showing, and then ask the group making the statue to respond
with the correct answer.
Debriefing and evaluation
Discuss some of the following issues with the group as a whole:
Was it difficult to decide on a theme and an idea for the monument?
How easy was it to guess the themes of other monuments? Were they similar to
those we see around us in our towns or villages?
Are monuments in one country similar to those in another? What similarities or
differences have you noticed?
What can you say about monuments to the same event in different countries,
particularly where the monument may be related to a war between the countries?
What kind of feelings do monuments usually aim to arouse?
Which general themes are “celebrated” on your streets at home? Who decides
which themes should be portrayed – and do you agree with these decisions?
Which other methods or forms are used to represent and remind us of the past?
How do these attempts to recapture history differ from monuments?
To what extent do monuments and memories in your country reflect the history
of its Euro-Mediterranean relations?
Tips for the facilitator
When setting the initial task, allow participants complete freedom in deciding how
specific they wish to be in choosing their subject. They may want to celebrate something
as general as peace or dignity, or they may choose a particular individual or date to
remember.
This activity can be very powerful and can provoke strong feelings, particularly
if there are participants from groups that are in conflict with one another. You
should be sure that you know where the potential areas of conflict may lie and
how you might deal with them, before trying it out.
Try to create groups that reflect cultural, national and gender diversity, rather
than homogenous ones, which may share similar perceptions of the past.
MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work