Philippa Namutebi Kabali-Kagwa

Individual Peace Plan

The Artist as Peace Builder course

ISS, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

April 2014

The Children of New Dawn:A collection of stories from Ugandans born in the 50s –

early 70s.

The Issue

I am part of a generation of Ugandans who were born on the cusp of Independence. These past 50 years have been fraught with challenges. Many have not been recorded because the trauma was too close. We have stories to tell about how the Political impacted the personal and shaped us. Stories that current and future leaders need to remember and/or hear as they make choices for the future.

What would I like to do?

• I would like to use the story-gathering and storytelling process to – Create a safe space for Ugandans

age 40 and older to write about the joys and traumas of that time

– start intergenerational conversations about the history of Uganda.

– To have the Ugandan story told by Ugandans.

Who are the facilitators?• Myself• A writing facilitator • A researcher • Visual artist• Publisher - Kwani? Fountain

publishers? Self-publishing?• Theatre /performance partner?• A funder

Who is the audience?

• The publication(s) –especially for Ugandans of all generations and for the world to hear

• Performance pieces primarily for Ugandans of all ages. A space for more voices to be heard – that will start conversations. It will also provide healing when that which has been unspoken or whispered for years is spoken out loud.

When

• This is both a post-conflict intervention and a preventative measure. Unless healing happens the problems of the past may rear their heads again and again.

• Project to start in 6 months??

How: The Project• A writing project that will result in a

publication/ series of publications and performance

• A year long process, with 3 X 1 week residencies where writers will be workshopped – using writing, art, meditation etc; supported, encouraged and have a lot of personal time to write.

• They will have online support in between the residencies

In brief• The work I am called to do is to work on the personal level, on

the intersection between the personal and the community.• My plan is to collect and create an art work of stories from my

generation and my parents generation. Why? Because we have a story to tell about ourselves, and about our nation that needs to be told.

• My theory of change: Change happens when people can lay to rest those things that haunt them, speak the unspokens, allow life to happen.

• The gift I bring comes from the pain and challenges of living in foreign countries because of the historial events in Uganda, of living in the fear which freezes one.