Using creative processes to remember women’s stories of WWII and promote gender equality today

WOMEN WAR & PEACE DIRECTORY (CLICK TO VIEW):

Women War and Peace is an innovative yearlong transnational project with four European partners from Ireland, Spain, Germany and Poland. The project uses creative processes of theatre and film to explore the role of women in Europe from WWII and the power of the EU in promoting peace and gender equality today.

The project is co-funded by the Europe for Citizens programme of the European Union and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Reconciliation Fund and the four European partners are Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company, Ireland, www.smashingtimes.ie; Institute de Formacion Y Estudios Sociales (IFES), Valencia, Spain, www.ifes.es; Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universitaet, Hannover, Germany, www.uni-hannover.de; and the University of Humanities and Economics in Lodz, Poland, www.ahe.lodz.pl. Smashing Times were delighted to welcome the Drama Department, School of Drama, Film and Music, Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College as a partner for the Women War and Peace International Symposium and performance.

The project resulted in the creation of a Women War and Peace Digital book containing 23 women’s stories highlighting women’s experiences during WWII and ways to promote human rights, gender equality and peace today. Also created was an original script and theatre performance of The Woman is Present: Women’s Stories of WWII, performed at the Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College Dublin on the 14, 15, 16 September 2016 and a short film Tell Them Our Names distributed internationally. The performance and film are creative re-imaginings of moments from the lives of women during WWII recalling stories of bravery, sacrifice and love amidst the horror of war, as the women stood up against Fascism and totalitarianism and refused to accept oppression.

A Women War and Peace International Symposium was held on the 16 September 2016 and a Women War and Peace Youth Symposium was held on the 15 September 2016 for second-level schools and youth groups, both held at the Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College, Dublin. Speakers at the international symposium included keynote speaker Dijana Milošević, DAH Theatre, Serbia, Senator Ivana Bacik, Ireland and guest speakers from Ireland, Spain, Germany and Poland. Activities included workshops, plenary sessions, discussion, debate, performances and a film launch. The symposiums were presented by the four project partners in association with the Drama Department, School of Drama, Film and Music, Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College, Dublin.

Women War and Peace was originally launched at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin in December 2015. As part of project activities in Ireland An Artist’s Vision for Ireland National Symposium was held at Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin on 21 April 2016 exploring the kind of Ireland artists would envisage for the future, inspired by events from 1916. An Artist Vision for Ireland 1916-2016 Digital Book was created featuring an insight into the Artist Vision for Ireland Symposium, with a selection of Artist Vision for Ireland manifestoes; keynote speeches and talks; and biographical information on the women of 1916. The keynote speaker was internationally acclaimed playwright Deirdre Kinahan and guest speakers were Emer Boyle, Artist; Dr Eric Weitz, Associate Professor of Drama, Trinity College, Dublin; Mary Moynihan, theatre and film maker, Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company; and Ray Yeates, Dublin City Council Arts Officer. The compere was Chrissie Poulter, head of Drama at Trinity College Dublin and the symposium facilitators were Jenny Macdonald and Ray Yeates.

A theatre performance of The Woman is Present: Women’s Stories of 1916 was presented at Smock Alley Theatre on 21 April 2016, with original testimony and new Irish writing by Pom Boyd, Mary Moynihan and Peter Sheridan inspired by women’s stories of 1916. The performance remembers the experiences of women as revolutionaries and insurgents fighting on an equal basis with their male counterparts, as advocates for social justice and as pacifists and advocates for peace. Each performance was followed by a post-show discussion where the audience joined the cast for reflection, discussion and debate and added their voices to the creation of multiple visions and possibilities for Ireland in 2017 and beyond.

Overall a total of 34 Women War and Peace fun-based EU-linked events were conducted in four European partner countries attended by 1,769 young people and adults – 959 from Ireland, 247 from Spain, 140 from Germany and 423 from Poland – to promote remembrance, debate and learning in relation to women’s experiences of WWII and the role of the EU today for promoting peace and gender equality. One hundred people from 4 European countries completed an on-line questionnaire, two transnational partner meetings were held and 1,619,147 people were reached through on-going dissemination activities.

A total of 791 evaluation forms were completed and 723 participants from 4 European countries stated in the evaluation form that their awareness of issues explored by the project had increased from attendance at Women War and Peace events and these issues included European Remembrance, Women’s Experiences of WWII, and the role of the EU to promote peace and gender equality. For 1,103 people this was their first time attending a European project.

Fiona Bawn Thompson, Ella Brady and Romana Testacecca in the short film Tell Them Our Names directed by Mary Moynihan

Women War and Peace Book

A Women War and Peace Digital Book with a foreword by Marian Harkin, MEP, Ireland, was produced as part of the Women War and Peace project and contains articles, research and 23 women’s stories from WWII and the Holocaust – highlighting stories of women from Ireland, Spain, Germany and Poland who promoted liberty, campaigned against Nazism and Fascism, spoke out against totalitarianism and advocated for peace.

The project partners successfully researched 23 women’s stories from WWIII – 8 from Ireland, 5 from Spain, 5 from Germany and 5 from Poland – in order to promote a remembrance of European history with a focus on women’s experiences of WWII and the role of the EU to promote human rights, gender equality and peace today. The stories reflect on WWII as well as the Spanish Civil War and the Irish Uprising of 1916.

The digital book is available on-line through each partner website and can be read by everybody to promote a remembrance of women’s stories and experiences during World War II and a promotion of human rights, gender equality and peace today.

The editor of the book is Mary Moynihan and key contributors are Edyta Pietrzak, Inga Kuzma, Fernando Benavente Tendillo Kilian Cuerda Ros, Arne Schrader, Freda Manweiler, Mary Moynihan, Jessie Smith, Bernard Wilson (writing about the life of Mary Elmes) and Nadia Clare Smith (writing about the life of Dorothy Macardle).

The book was launched at the Oak Room, The Mansion House, Dublin on 8 November 2016 by international human rights activist Mary Lawlor, founder of Front Line Defenders. Guest speakers also included Cllr Rebecca Moynihan, Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, Mary Moynihan, Artistic Director, Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company and Lecturer, BA in Drama (Performance), Conservatory of Music and Drama, DIT, and Fernando Benavente, IFES, Spain.

Click here to access the Women War and Peace Research and Resource Digital book

The stories from Ireland are Mary Elmes, Ettie Steinberg, Margaret Skinnider, Josephine Alexandra Mitchell, Dorothy Macardle, Louise Graham née Boyle, Mary Fleming and Aileen Turner; the stories from Spain are Federica Montseny Mañe, Pilar Tendillo Haro, Rosa Estruch Espinos, Neus Català Pallejà and Dolores Ibárruri, La Pasionaria; the stories from Germany are Anna Seghers, Esther Bauer, Sophie Scholl, Marta Hillers and Gertrud Pötzinger; and the stories from Poland are Alina Szapocznikow, Maria Eugenia Jasińska, Homeless women in Łódź during WWII, Regina (Inka) Milichtajch and Johanna Majewska.

The aim is for people to enjoy reading the women’s stories to remember and highlight the role played by ordinary, yet extraordinary women in World War II and to raise awareness of the need to work in a pro-active way for human rights, gender equality and peace, to celebrate diversity and the empowerment of all people equally.

The book features articles and research on the European Union, on the causes and impact of the Second World War and the rise of totalitarianism in Europe, the founding of the EU and the development of human rights, gender equality and peace. Articles include The Second World War: A Global Conflict by Mary Moynihan; The roots of hate: Fascism, Nazism, totalitarianism and war by Kilian Cuerda Ros and a keynote article Human Rights and Gender Equality by Edyta Pietrzak and Inga Kuzma. The booklet contains information on the United Nations, the Declaration of Human Rights, how to influence the EU and EU common laws, policies and procedures for promoting human rights, gender equality and peace. Finally, a three hour Remembrance Through Drama Workshop Model was created by the four European partners using theatre to actively involve citizens in EU-linked fun activities to promote remembrance, debate and learning in relation to women’s stories from WWII and the role of the EU today to promote peace and gender equality. The model is available in the Women War and Peace book with detailed instructions for artists, facilitators and educators on how to conduct the practical, fun-based drama workshop with young people (ages 14 plus) and adults.

Women War and Peace Book Launch at Mansion House Dublin

The Women War and Peace digital book featuring women’s stories of WWII from Ireland, Spain, Germany and Poland, and a foreword by Marian Harkin, MEP, was launched at the Oak Room, the Mansion House, 2 Dawson Street, Dublin on 8 November 2016 by Mary Lawlor, Front Line Defenders. Also speaking at the launch were Cllr Rebecca Moynihan, Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin, and Mary Moynihan, Artistic Director, Smashing Times. Freda welcomed Mark Elmes, cousin of Mary Elmes, who had travelled to the event from Cork. The company were particularly honoured to welcome Mark who attended on behalf of the Elmes family. The company also welcomed Fernando Benavente, one of the Spanish partners, who came on stage to speak about the Women War and Peace project.

In addition to guest speakers, the launch featured a performance of Mary Elmes by Roisin McAtamney and a clip from the short film Tell Them Our Names featuring Dolores Ibarurri performed by Margaret Toomey. The performance and film were inspired by a selection of the women’s stories featured in the Women War and Peace book.

The MC for the evening was Freda Manweiler, Company Manager, Smashing Times. Freda opened proceedings by welcoming everyone to the launch and especially welcomed all those who watched the launch live as part of a European webinar. Firstly Freda introduce Cllr Rebecca Moynihan, Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin. On behalf of Smashing Times, Freda extended our sincerest thanks to the Mansion House for having us here today and to Rebecca for coming to open the proceedings. Cllr Rebecca Moynihan was elected Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin in June 2016. Rebecca is currently a Labour City Councillor for the South West Inner City area of Dublin.

Then Freda introduced the key note speaker for the evening, human rights activist Mary Lawlor of Front Line Defenders. Mary Lawlor originally set up Front Line Defenders – the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders – in 2001, an organization that focuses on human rights defenders at risk who work non-violently for the rights of others as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The aim is to protect defenders of human rights and provide them with “round the clock” practical support so that they can continue their work to build civil and just societies. Prior to Front Line, Mary was Director of the Irish Section of Amnesty International. Mary Lawlor has a BA in Psychology and Philosophy and postgraduate degrees in Montessori Teaching and Personnel Management. In 2007, Front Line Defenders was awarded the King Baudouin International Development Prize. The following year, Mary Lawlor was awarded the Irish Life WMB Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2008. In 2011, she received the Irish Tatler Woman of the Year Special Recognition Award. In 2014 she was awarded the French insignia of Chevalier de l’Ordre national de la Légion d ́Honneur. In 2014 she was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor in Laws from TCD.

The final speaker was Mary Moynihan, Theatre and Film Maker, and Artistic Director of Smashing Times. Mary is one of the writers and directors who created The Woman is Present: Women’s Stories of WWII and the short film Tell Them Our Names, and Mary is the editor of the Women War and Peace digital Book.

Freda then introduced a performance of Mary Elmes from The Woman is Present Women’s Stories of WWII by Mary Moynihan, Fiona Bawn Thompson and Paul Kennedy, performed by Róisín Mc Atamney . In this piece we hear about the life of Mary Elmes from Ireland who travels to Spain during the Spanish Civil War and then to France during WWII to work with Spanish refugees and with Jewish people incarcerated by the Nazi regime.

Freda then introduced a short clip from the film Tell Them Our Names scripted by Paul Kennedy, Mary Moynihan and Fiona Bawn Thompson, directed by Mary Moynihan and edited by Mark Quinn of Hire Wire Productions. In this clip we see Margaret Toomey performing as Dolores Ibarruri La Passionaria from Spain and also performing is Ella Brady. The Spanish Civil War foreshadowed World War II. By 1939 the fascists led by Francisco Franco, leader of the nationalist forces, with the support of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany in addition to the rich and the Catholic Church, won the Spanish Civil War and overthrew the Spanish democratic Republic, subjecting the Spanish people to a cruel and oppressive dictatorship that was to last until Franco’s death in 1976. Dolores Ibárruri was a well-known Spanish revolutionary leader who fought against Franco. She was an excellent orator, a political activist and supporter of communism. She was a parliamentary deputy in Spain and fought for women’s rights. In her writings Dolores promoted the active and equal involvement of women in resistance and spoke out against the traditional role of a woman as solely a wife and mother. Dolores wrote her life story in her autobiography They Shall Not Pass.

To complete the evening Freda welcomed actor and founding member of Smashing Times Theatre Company Margaret Toomey on stage to perform What I will by Suheir Hammad, Palestinian American poet and activist.

Smashing Times thanked Cllr Rebecca Moynihan, Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin and all the staff at the Mansion House for their amazing welcome and support. The company offered a special thanks to Mary Lawlor of Front Line Defenders and to Mary Moynihan, Margaret Toomey and Roisin Mc Atamney of Smashing Times and to EM Creative Designs for the fantastic work on the Women War and Peace Digital Book. A special thanks was offered to Mark Elmes, cousin of Mary Elmes who travelled from Cork to join the launch.

Feedback from Women War and Peace Book Launch

‘It was a truly inspiring event. I was shocked to realize how little we know about the women of our past, we need to do more.’ Laura Brady
‘I have been involved in European projects for years but this was definitely one of my favourites’. Fernando Benavente
‘The speakers and performances were truly inspiring. Such an important event I can’t wait to read the book now!’ Ciara Smith
‘I never thought about the power of theatre and drama in promoting peace and human rights but after listening to the speakers and seeing the performances I have realized the value of the work Smashing Times are carrying out’ Sinead Heavin
‘The women’s stories were inspirational and unfortunately reflected what is still happening today’ Carla Ryan
‘It was great to get the opportunity to listen to these women’s stories that too often we don’t hear about’ Jack Covaliero

Theatre Performance: The Woman is Present: Women Stories of WWII

Imagined re-creation of moments from the lives of women in WWII.
By Deirdre Kinahan, Mary Moynihan, Fiona Bawn Thompson and Paul Kennedy.

In addition to a digital book and short film, the project resulted in the creation of an original script and theatre performance The Woman is Present: Women’s Stories of WWII by Deirdre Kinahan, Mary Moynihan, Fiona Bawn Thompson and Paul Kennedy, performed at the Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College Dublin on the 14, 15, 16 September 2016. The theatre performance is a creative re-imagining of moments from the lives of women during WWII recalling stories of bravery, sacrifice and love amidst the horror of war, as women stood up against Fascism and totalitarianism and refused to accept oppression.

Women’s stories in the performance are Margaret Skinnider (1893-1971) a revolutionary feminist and maths teacher who came to Dublin from Scotland at the age of 23 to fight in the 1916 Easter Rising and who remained in Ireland and campaigned for women’s rights in the trade union movement from the 1930s onwards; Mary Elmes (1908-2002), a Cork woman who was the first Irish person honoured as ‘Righteous Among Nations’ for her work saving Jewish children from the Nazi gas chambers during World War II; Ettie Steinberg (1914-42)the only female Jewish Irish citizen known to have been murdered in Auschwitz; Marta Hillers (1911-2001) from Germany who wrote her autobiography Eine Frau in Berlin (A Woman in Berlin) under the name ‘Anonyma’ (Anonymous), detailing her experiences of the last days of WWII as she and over one million other women were raped and abused by Allied soldiers of the Red Army; Neus Català Pallejà (b.1915) from Spain, a member of the United Socialist Party of Catalonia during the Spanish Civil War, an active collaborator with the French Resistance during WWII and the only living Spanish survivor of Ravensbrück concentration camp for women; Maria Eugenia Jasińska (1906-43) from Łódź in Poland who worked for the resistance and gave up her own life rather than ‘name names’; and Dolores Ibárruri,or La Pasionaria (1895-1989), from Spain, a revolutionary leader, political activist, Communist and crusader against Fascism during the Spanish Civil War who created the famous cry ‘They Shall Not Pass’.

The theatre performance is directed by Mary Moynihan and Bairbre Ní Chaoimh, performed by Fiona Bawn Thompson and Róisín Mc Atamney with Margaret Toomey featuring on film. The production team are Tara Doolan, set design and projection/AV programme, Risa Ando, costume design, Cillian McNamara, lighting design and Eva Walsh, production stage manager.

Artists:

Directors: Mary Moynihan, Bairbre Ní Chaoimh
Writers: Mary Moynihan, Deirdre Kinahan, Fiona Bawn Thompson, Paul Kennedy
Cast: Fiona Bawn Thompson, Róisín Mc Atamney
Producers: Freda Manweiler, Mary Moynihan
Set Design: Projection/AV Programming: Tara Doolan
Costume Design: Risa Ando
Lighting Design: Cillian McNamara
Production Stage Manager: Eva Walsh
ASM: Melvin Mwongera
Post-Show Facilitator: Freda Manweiler
Post-Show Speakers: Freda Manweiler, producer, Mary Moynihan, writer and director, Yanky Fachler, Member of the Jewish Community, Róisín Mc Atamney, actor, Fiona Bawn Thompson, actor, Hilary Abrahamson, Member of the Jewish Community, Deirdre Kinahan, writer, Lynn Jackson, Holocaust Education Trust.

Sabina Higgins, Áras an Uachtaráin First Lady and patron to Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company, thanked the panel and artists for the stories shared. She praised Smashing Times and their European partners on the performances and thecollection of these stories and the way in which they were executed. It was agreed by all audience members that the show should be taken on tour to reach a wider audience.

Sabina Coyne Higgins with cast and company members at the opening night of The Woman is Present: Women’s Stories of WWII

Audience Feedback:

‘The work Smashing Times are doing is so important. We need to hear more of these stories’ Laura Brady, audience member
‘I’m amazed I never heard those stories before. It was so interesting, thank you for a wonderful performance’ Elaine Cronin, Audience member
‘Such a moving piece of theatre. The performances were excellent’ Sabina Higgins, Áras an Uachtaráin First Lady.
‘Thanks Freda and all the cast and crew of The Woman is Present! What a wonderful evening’ Mary Duffin, Audience member
‘Saw ‘The Woman is Present’ last night, a call to the heart: Stop war and trumpet the heroism of women, missing from history’. Dr Eric Weitz, TCD
‘It was just brilliant! The two actors were phenomenal. Well done to everyone involved!’ Niamh Clowry, Audience member
‘Brilliant, moving, eye opening journey into stories of women’s bravery tonight. Well done to all involved’, Sarah Glennane, Audience Member

Tell Them Our Names Short Film

The short film Tell Them Our Names is directed by Mary Moynihan, edited by Mark Quinn, High Wire Ltd and scripted by Paul Kennedy, Fiona Bawn Thompson and Mary Moynihan from a devising process with the cast. The cast are Fiona Bawn Thompson, Romana Testacecca, Raymond Keane, Margaret Toomey, Mary Moynihan and Ella Brady.

Opening on an anonymous beach in Europe, a group of women and children line up in front of a bureaucrat’s desk, only to be barked at by a gatekeeper. But the women are not silent. They are here for a reason. An unexpected act of violence is carried out, as the women become authors of their own stories. Tell Them Our Names is an imagined recreation of moments from the lives of five powerful women during WWII; Marta Hillers (Germany), Mary Elmes (Ireland), Maria Eugenia Jasinska (Poland), Neus Catala Palleja (Spain) and Dolores Ibárruri, La Pasionaria (Spain). Their stories have mostly been unheard or buried, now they are voiced. Set in the context of World War 2 and the Spanish Civil War, these powerful women speak of harrowing acts of oppression and inhumane treatment, yet still, despite all the odds, the spirit of defiance and hope rings through. The film was distributed to film festivals around the world and has screened publicly.

Director: Mary Moynihan
Editor: Mark Quinn, High Wire Ltd
Scriptwriters: Paul Kennedy, Fiona Bawn Thompson and Mary Moynihan from a devising process with the cast
Cast: Fiona Bawn Thompson, Romana Testacecca, Raymond Keane, Margaret Toomey, Mary Moynihan, Ella Brady

Women War and Peace International Symposium

Venue: Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College, Dublin
Date/Time: 16 September 2016, 9.30am-5pm

The Women War and Peace International Adult Symposium was held at the Samuel Beckett Theatre, Trinity College, Dublin on the 16 September 2016, 9.30am-5pm. The symposium featured guest speakers, workshops, a film launch, reflection, discussion and debate. The symposium brought artists and the general public together to create a remembrance of women’s stories from World War II and to explore the power of the arts and the EU in promoting peace and gender equality.

The international guest speaker was Dijana Milošević, director of the DAH Theatre Research Centre in Belgrade, Serbia. DAH Theatre was founded out of the need for experimental theatre work, reflecting historical and political aspects of Serbian society. Dijana facilitated a master class theatre workshop to explore ‘what role can the arts play in promoting women’s rights, gender equality and peace’ at local, national and European levels. We were delighted to have Senator Ivana Bacik, LLB, LLM (Lond), BL, FTCD, the Reid Professor of Criminal Law, Criminology and Penology at Trinity College Dublin, speaking. She is a qualified Barrister and a Senior Lecturer and Fellow of Trinity College Dublin (elected in 2005).Her grandfather Karel Bacik was in the Czech resistance and was imprisoned by the Nazis. After the war, he moved to Ireland with his young family, where they lived in Waterford.

The international partner speakers were Edyta Pietrza, Ph.D, University of Humanities and Economics in Lodz, Poland; Inga B. Kuzma, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of Culture, University of Łódź, Poland; Arne Schrader, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universitaet, Hannover, Germany; Fernando Benavente, Instituto de Formacion Y Estudios Sociales (IFES), Valencia, Spain and Àfrica Díez Álvarez, Gavina Cooperative School, Valencia Spain. The full range of artists and guest speakers included Moynihan, theatre and film maker, Maureen Hetherington, from Towards Understanding and Healing, The Junction, Derry/Londonderry, Deirdre Toomey, Practitioner in Human Rights and Community Development, Áine Stapleton, Dance Artist and Performer, Paul Kennedy, writer, Chrissie Poulter, Trinity College Dublin, Salome Mbugua, Head of Missions, Wezesha and Audrey Keane, Information and Advice Officer, Creative Europe Desk, The Arts Council.

Moderators:

Freda Manweiler, Company Manager, Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company
Mary Moynihan, Artist and Artistic Director, Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company
Paul Kennedy, Writer
Dijana Milosevic, Director, DAH Theatre Research Centre, Belgrade, Serbia
Chrissie Poulter, Head of Drama, School of Drama, Film and Music, TCD

Artists and Guest Speakers:

Dijana Milosevic, Director, DAH Theatre Research Centre, Belgrade, Serbia
Mary Moynihan, Theatre and film maker, Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company
Fiona Bawn Thompson, Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company
Edyta Pietzra, PhD, University of Humanities and Economics on Lodz, Poland
Arne Schrader, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universitaet, Hannover, Germany
Fernando Benavente, Instituto de Formacion Y Estudios Sociales (IFES), Valencia, Spain
Africa Díez Alvarez, Gavina Cooperative School, Valencia, Spain
Senator Ivana Bacik, Ireland
Inga B. Kuzma, phD institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of Culture, University of Lodz, Poland
Deirdre Toomey, Practitioner in Human Rights and Community Development
Freda Manweiler, Smashing Times Theatre and Film Company
Maureen Hetherington, Coordinator Towards Understanding and Healing, The Junction, Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Áine Stapleton, Dance Artist and Performance
Salome Mbugua, Head of Missions, Wezesha
Audrey Keane, Information and Advice Officer, Creative Europe Desk, The Arts Council

Feedback and Evaluation

‘Superb! Way exceeded my expectations and is sending me away with lots of food for thought. Thank you so much.’
‘I feel so grateful to have been present for the discussions offered today- extremely inspiring Thank you.’
‘A transformational day. Only wish there was more time for discussion.’
‘Fantastically run. Thank you. For all those that instinctively react negatively when they hear “feminism” I think it’s important to take some of the ideas presented today to reach out and break that block’
‘Congratulations on a successful event. You had great engagement from everybody there.’ Audrey Keane, Information and Advice Officer, Creative Europe Desk, The Arts Council
‘This was an amazing day I’m really proud to be associated with it’ Edyta Pietrza
‘I loved the performance. I had researched Neus and it was so moving to see her story brought to life’ Fernando Benavente, Instituto de Formacion Y Estudios Sociales
‘I realised that my aunt was caught up in the same violence in Valencia as Neus. They were there at the same time’ Fernando Benavente, Instituto de Formacion Y Estudios Sociales
‘The performances at the symposium were so moving they really brought the characters to life’ Arne Schrader, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universitaet
‘I attended the cross boarder peace discussion in the afternoon. Maureen Heatherington’s presentation on patriarchy really made me think’ William Caughey
‘That was a great day I was proud to be a part of it all’ Paul Kennedy
‘I found the event very inspiring. I will consider spending a day volunteering with the refugees and direct provision.’ Karen Ward

Panel of speakers at Women War and Peace International Symposium

Feedback from Youth Symposium

‘The two drama pieces were excellent and readily understood by the group.’ Mick Fox, 5^th Year Head, St Paul’s CBS Secondary School
‘it was not something which they had much considered so simply engaging in such an exercise was positive.’ Mick Fox, 5^th Year Head, St Paul’s CBS Secondary School
‘The concept was fantastic and something I feel is extremely worthwhile.’ Aoife Rodgers, Transition Year Co-ordinator, St Louis High School
‘it opened their eyes somewhat to new experiences or more to the point, to look at the issue of gender equality from a different point of view’’. Mick Fox, 5^th Year Head, St Paul’s CBS Secondary School
‘I loved the play. We need more workshops like this’ St Louis Student
‘Thanks very much, that was really good’ Synge Street Student
‘Can we come again next year? We always really enjoy Smashing Times workshops’ St Paul’s Student
‘It was interesting to see everyone’s opinion on the topic. Everyone should be treated equally’ St Paul’s Student
‘I really enjoyed learning about the struggle the women had to go through’ St Paul’s Student

Róisín McAtamney in a stage production of The Woman is Present: Women’s Stories of WWII by Mary Moynihan, Fiona Bawn Thompson and Paul Kennedy.

Outcomes

By remembering women’s stories of WWII we hope to play a part in ensuring we do not forget the atrocities committed by totalitarian regimes when innocent people were murdered. The aim is not to glorify war but to acknowledge the human cost of war, the atrocities and destruction that occurred and to acknowledge the voices and experiences of women in order to reveal a wider picture of what happened. People and nation states suffer when human values such as respect, tolerance and democracy are destroyed. Remembering lessons of the past is a prerequisite for building a brighter future. The aim is to remember and learn from history with a view to preventing similar atrocities from happening in the future and at the same time to remember the many different roles played by ordinary, yet extraordinary women during World War II who found their own way to stand up against fascism and totalitarianism and who refused to accept oppression. Outcomes include

Series of activities implemented that involves citizens in EU-linked fun activities to promote remembrance, debate and learning in relation to women’s stories of WWII and the role of the EU today to promote peace and gender equality
Raised awareness of 23 women’s stories including those women who campaigned against Nazism and Fascism, spoke out against totalitarianism and advocated for peace with the stories celebrated and restored and full acknowledgement of the extraordinary contribution these women played in history
Raised awareness of value of women’s stories to remember and highlight the role played by ordinary, yet extraordinary women in World War II
In addition to the on-line book the audiences attending the performances fully engaged with the performances on an emotional level which allowed for a deeper connection and understanding of the stories presented
Raised awareness of how to promote equality, tolerance and peace at local, national and EU levels
Making women visible in society and promoting women’s rights and peace at local, national and European levels
Cultural heritage fostered by telling the hidden or forgotten stories of women and new narratives and role models provided for young people today
Challenge to the traditional narrative of history that has silenced women’s voices and experiences
Inspiring pride in the values these women had for freedom and democracy and by illuminating the past through creative processes the project has inspired young people and adults in terms of active citizenship

Engaging young people and adults and promoting diversity

The project was open to young people and adults from a range of communities. The arts can play a powerful role in promoting peace and respect for different cultures and traditions. In presenting pictures of women from different communities (through the stories, workshops and international symposium and encouraging young people to recognise the different stories and traditions that exist, the project encourages people to be more lenient and accepting of differences in their own lives today which is turn stimulates mutual respect. The stories encourage young people not only to remember other stories in the past but to look also at their own stories today and the stories of those from different cultures around them. Telling the stories of women from different countries passes on knowledge and helps to create a respect for different cultures and traditions.

A key part of the project is to firstly to remember what happened in history so it cannot be repeated and secondly to acknowledge and affirm gender equality and women’s rights as human rights. Women’s rights are an integral part of building peace and of the social economic, political and cultural human rights laid down in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. As part of this project workshop participants explore the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, generating awareness of gender equality and the need for diversity. The workshop model encourages young people to discover stories of women in history as well as about women in their own lives, their mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers and their fathers and grandfathers as this can help them to better understand their lives and the challenges they faced.

Fostering intangible cultural heritage, women’s rights and peace

This project fosters cultural heritage by recognising, celebrating and restoring the hidden or forgotten stories of women. By telling these stories and illuminating them through performance and film the project is firstly challenging traditional narratives of history that has silenced women’s voices and experiences and secondly is raising awareness of intangible cultural heritage and providing new narratives and role models for young people today. In caring for historical memories of women from different societies women’s lives are recognised and acknowledged and the values, lifestyles and believes these women had are remembered.

As students are not learning about these women in their school curriculum the stories have in a sense been airbrushed from history. By denying women an equal role in history, society creates distorted or stereotyped perceptions of women. Encouraging young people to go out and read Marta Hiller’s diary not only raises awareness of the bravery and courage of this extraordinary women but also encourages young people to learn about life at the end of World II and the devastating consequences of war on ordinary people as well as giving Marta her rightful place in history.

The stories inspire pride in the values these women had for freedom and democracy and by illuminating the past through creative processes the project can inspire and show young people how to be become active citizens today. Hearing these stories ensures that young men and women today are hearing a different narrative, one that gives them new role models that inspire a sense of achievement in relation to women’s contribution to society particularly when it comes to advocating for peace.

If young women continue to read history books that tell mainly men’s stories from history, young women will learn they are worth ‘less’. By recognizing and raising awareness of women’s contribution to society as told through these stories, we are acknowledging the dynamic role of women in both private and public life and the value to society they bring. Hearing stories about powerful women and giving women a stronger presence in history and cultural memories encourages self-respect and empowers both young women and men to become more active in society.

Many of these women were pioneers and their bravery and courage shines through. The powerful nature of the stories which is clearly illuminated through theatre and film ensures a strong impact on audiences. This creates a stronger understanding of the stories so people will value them and want to learn and know more. Recognizing the dignity and accomplishments of women in the past can lead to higher self-esteem among girls and greater respect among boys and men and encourage young people to achieve more. Remember and recognising the struggles, dreams successes and achievements of women in the past plays a vital role in giving us strength and inspiration today. Remembering these stories and having a truly balanced and inclusive history recognises how important women have always been in European society and acts as a catalyst for promoting women as influential sources today.