Of military tanks and Barbie dolls Of military tanks and Barbie dolls is based on a visual arts peace project called As-salaam that was initiated and implemented in 2005 after the London Bombings. The project hoped to initiate an inter-cultural dialogue between the strained British Muslim and British Non-Muslim communities and aimed to use visual arts as a means of expression, allowing young people to explore their own beliefs and notions of peace and share it with the wider community. The project concluded with the creation of nine artworks, some learning and loads of fun! For me as the arts and media facilitator it was important to evaluate the learning outcomes and the social impact of the project. The girls found the conventional evalutaion questionnaires a very boring exercise. There were more giggles than answers and getting even that out of a two hour session was an achievement ! I then changed the evaluation process into a digital storytelling exercise using reflective practice which resulted in a 19 minute short film. The girls were amazing and had a lot to say.The art for peace project was a lot more than just art and just peace. It wasn't just about brush strokes and straight lines or even tracing for that matter but patience and hard work. It wasnt just about creating artworks but meeting deadlines; it wasnt as much fun as it was about 'being told off by Mooshmi' and me losing patience with their girly giggles and gossips;it wasnt all about peace but internal conflicts ; it wasnt all about being a British Muslim but what it feels being called a terrorist, what it feels when you stand at a bus stand and a man shouts at you asking you to go back to your country... The girls actually learnt that 'you can't blame it all on the media and it is the lack of us going out there' and telling people what Islam is all about' ; what it means to be a Muslim and the freedom to practice it in Britian, what it means to know about peace and actually understanding what it means, what it means to understand peace and actually practicing it... Last but not the least, its about Ready Action and Cut !!! Dec 2006 : A shorter version of the film is now part of BBC Your Film section for Coventry & Warwickshire. click here to view the film >>
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