LLP Bulgaria continues its initiative of the Summer Theater School for Children at Risk

Indian tales are the theme of the Seventh Summer Theater School for children at risk in the village of Shiroka Luka. After the enchanting pantomime of Japanese tales in 2008, the Seventh Summer School Theater continues to introduce children at risk in the region of Shiroka Luka to distant traditions and ancient cultures.

Earlier this year the consulting firm LLP Bulgaria was awarded the prestigious award in the category "Investor in the Community" of 2008 during the Annual Awards for Responsible Business of BBLF for implementing this project in the village of Shiroka Luka for six consecutive years. The idea for the project emerged spontaneously in 2003 during a conversation between Adam Beydzhar, owner of the LLP Group and Elena Panayotova, founder of the Foundation for Culture "Day Gri - X". Gradually this idea established itself as a successful model for cooperation between the business, the government and the education sector. Its main purpose is using the vehicle of theater - speech, music and dance, to contribute to the personal development, building sustainable social skills, education in tolerance, creativity and discipline of children deprived of parental care. The educational model of the project is assessed by the Agency for Child Protection in Plovdiv. In 2008 it turned with an invitation to the organizers to replicate this model in other care homes in the region.

This year 70 children aged between 6 and 15 years and 20 young artists from Bulgaria and the Netherlands will meet in the course of five creative workshops and two training sessions in the Summer Theater School. Together they will revive Indian tales, myths and legends in front of the children at the theater Festival on July 18th in the village of Shiroka Luka. This year 6 children from the Social Care Home for Children "Olga Skobelev" in Plovdiv will participate in the Summer School as well. This is one of the first steps taken to expand the geographical scope of the project in order to gradually establish a National Cultural Center to work with children at risk in the village of Shiroka Luka.

The artists leading the Dance Workshop and the Music Workshop have acquainted themselves in advance with parts of the Indian cultural traditions and have promised to prepare a colorful and spirited performance in the Bolywood style. During the three weeks of summer school kids will rehearse under the authentic sounds of Indian instruments of the creative team of professional musicians. Masks are being handcrafted under the close attention of a Dutch guest and puppets that will be used for the first time during the festival program are the work of a professional team of Rousse puppeteers and directors.

A group of 20 English students will arrive for the final day of the Festival in Shiroka Luka and they will narrate to the Bulgarian children how and to what extent the Indian traditions "colored" the traditional conservative life on the British island. Children from other homes and schools in Devin, Smolyan, Plovdiv, Gotse Delchev, Panagyurishte and Haskovo are also expected to attend the Festival.

Elena Panayotova, Director and Project Manager of the Festival says: "I believe that the artist is a unique agent of another reality, which can identify and provoke authentic communication with the most uncertain part of our society. The team of artists who are involved in the project for the seventh consecutive year believe that art has the power to connect, integrate and provide children a safe place where they can understand a little more about themselves and others."

Stanislav Shikov, director of Social Care Home for Children "Katia Vancheva" in Shiroka Luka village shares that "The Summer Theater School has established itself as a good tradition in the life of the home, the school and the town. It has a positive impact on both growth and education of children and to the formation of awareness, responsibility and desire to be active."

The partners in the project are aware that children deprived of parental care have not only immediate physiological necessities but also spiritual needs. "Theater" is far from the children of Shiroka Luka so the Foundation "Day-Gri X" and LLP Bulgaria with the participation of the children themselves make it possible for the seventh consecutive year to create a theater in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains.

The Final Festival, officially marking the end of the Summer School will take place on July 18th starting at 2:00 pm on the open stage, created by artists and children.

For more information regarding the event please contact:

Ms. Elena Panyotova, Foundation Day-Gri X at:  dengrix@gmail.com

or

Ms. Tsvetelina Gavrilova at:  tsvetelina.gavrilova@llpgroup.com