Ajoka Theatre Pakistan 4.79

AJOKA And PEACE

Ajoka has been committed to the ideals of peace and tolerance, within Pakistan and in the region. Ajoka has collaborated with theatre activists from other countries of South Asia particularly from India & Bangladesh, even in times when any contact across the border was considered treason. The first play performed by Ajoka, "JALOOS" was written by the veteran India revolutionary playwright Badal Sircar. Ajoka has worked with the (late) Safdar Hashmi, Anuradha Kapoor, Ratti Bartholomew, Kamla Bhasin and Kewal Dhaliwal. Ajoka first performed in India in 1989 when "ITT was staged in Delhi. The plays which have performed in India since include "K.ALA MEDA BHES" (in Delhi, Kolkatta and Chandigarh in 1997), "AIK THEE NANI (in Delhi in 1999 & 2003 and Bombay in 2004), "DUKHINI (in Delhi, Chandigarh and Kolkatta in 2000) and "BORDER-BORDER" (in Chandigarh and Amritsar , in 2001 and 2005 respectively). In Nov. 2003, "BULLHA" was first performed in several cities of Indian Punjab including Amritsar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Chandigarh and Jammu.

Ajoka has organized Panjpaani Indo-Pak theatre festivals to promote the cause of peace. These festivals were held in 2004-2009. Soon Ajoka plans to launch a Theatre for Peace programme in collaboration with various Pakistani and Indian theatre groups. Ajoka is the only Pakistani group which has performed in India from Srinagar to Kerala and from Amritsar to Kolkata.


OUTREACH

Ajoka attaches great importance to developing contacts with theatre groups in other countries, particularly in Asia. It has long-standing relations with theatre groups in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri-Lanka, the Philippines and has worked on joint productions with several groups of these countries and the International Drama and Education Association (IDEA). Within Pakistan Ajoka has worked with NGOs such as the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the Family Planning Association of Pakistan, the WWF, the Goethe Institute, the Heinrich-Boll Foundation, the War Against Rape and the Alhamra Arts Council. It has a special relationship with the women's movement and a large number of Ajoka plays have addressed the gender issue. Ajoka also has close relations with the US-based Theatre without Borders.