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Connective Memories (Rwanda)

Connective Memories: Intergenerational Expressions in Contemporary Rwanda was a Changing the Story Phase 2 ECR project.

Drawing on arts-based methodologies, the Connective Memories (CM) project will break new ground by exploring the ways that memories are made, mediated and negotiated by Rwandan young people to create new social imaginaries, in contexts where narratives of trauma and violence dominate. While there has been increasing attention to intergenerational transmission of trauma, this is largely framed by theory and practice from the Global North and there has been far less consideration about how children themselves approach the concept and practice of memory and how this may act as a resource to create cultures of their own making. 

CM is an interdisciplinary project, which will be co-designed, undertaken and evaluated with young people in Rwanda to address three questions. First, what are the characteristics and dynamics of memory among children and youth? Second, how are memories constituted and mediated intergenerationally? Third, how might arts-based methodologies open up possibilities for a) understanding and exploring memories and how these are mediated in transgenerational spaces and b) for creating more locally-grounded and culturally sensitive approaches to envisaging alternative futures in addressing past legacies of violence? This collaborative project will seek to learn from, and build on, the knowledge and capacities of local actors to extend, elaborate and reimagine responses to the legacies of violence by adapting the Mobile Arts for Peace methodology to a participatory action research project undertaken by youth trained in MAP with their peers to design and perform a creative output to engage in intergenerational dialogues. 

The overarching intended impact is to foster space for marginalised young people, to allow hidden stories to emerge and create new future imaginaries. Via written and creative outputs, the project will generate: new theoretical insights; offer a preliminary evaluation of the MAP methodology to inform the development of the National Arts Curriculum; and consider the higher-level policy implications of findings for development agencies.

Project Location

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Rwanda

Connective Memories: Intergenerational Expressions in Contemporary Rwanda is a Changing the Story Phase 2 ECR project

Resource Archive

Search or browse the resource archive for films, reports, toolkits and other resources produced by the Changing the Story and its commissioned projects. Items relating to Rwanda are listed below:

TitleSummaryAuthorCategoriesTagsdoc_categories_hfilterdoc_tags_hfilter
Leonard (Youth Research Board)Hear from Leonard about his group's research project as part of his role on Changing the Story Youth Research Board., , , rwanda changemakers youth-research-board locationfilm language-english
Learn more about Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP)Blog (2019/04/17) Learn more about Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP)Kurtis Dennison, , phase1 rwanda locationblog language-english
Umucuranzi documentary, Ntwali PacificSkill Exchange workshops to develop skills that would be useful to young change-makers, March - April 2022Ntwali Pacific, , , event rwanda changemakers locationfilm language-english
Meet Eric!Eric is from Kigali in Rwanda. Find out from Eric what three words he would use to describe his experience as part of the Changing the Story Youth Research Board …Eric Ngabonziza, , , rwanda youth-research-board locationfilm language-english subject-reflections
Case Study: Consolidation, Learning and Evaluation in Kenya and Rwanda'Consolidation, Learning and Evaluation in Kenya and Rwanda'. A critical review of Changing the Story Projects in Eastern Africa. This report shares on how formal and informal citizenship and peace …Chaste Uwihoreye, Dr John Mwangi Githigaro, Dr Marlon Moncrieffe, , , , , kenya rwanda locationreport language-kinyarwanda sdg-10-inequalities sdg-17-partnerships sdg-4-education
New Project: Developing Youth Leadership for More Peaceful and Inclusive Societies in Post-Conflict Countriesblog (2019/10/29) New Project: Developing Youth Leadership for More Peaceful and Inclusive Societies in Post-Conflict CountriesLauren Wray, , , , , , kenya namibia phase1 rwanda south-africa locationblog language-english youth
Mobile Arts for Peace – RwandaBlog (2018/03/12) Mobile Arts for Peace – RwandaHope Azeda, Kurtis Dennison, Prof Ananda Breed, rwanda locationblog language-english
Munzira Yunjye: In My WayZine representing outcomes of workshops funded by Changing the Story Mobility Fund, 26th-28th July 2022. The venue for the workshops was the YEGO center at Rwamagana.Eric Ngabonziza, Leonard, , , event mobility-fund rwanda locationformat-zine subject-participatory-arts
'Extended Mobile Arts for Peace'Mobile Arts for Peace Rwanda Documentary, directed by Deus Kwizera. Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP) is a practice-as-research project using arts-based methods to increase child and youth participation in decision-making …Deus Kwizera, , , , , , , event rwanda locationfilm language-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-3-health-and-well-being sdg-4-education subject-participatory-arts
Consolidation, Learning and Evaluation Virtual Reality SpaceCollaboratively designed arts-based Virtual Reality space with a focus on sharing best practices on Peace Education via CTS research in East Africa. Created by Follow on Fund Project, Consolidation, Learning …, , , , kenya rwanda locationlanguage-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-17-partnerships sdg-4-education
Changing the Story Consolidating Learning CoLearnSEEFind out more about the Changing the Story Consolidating Learning project CoLearnSEE. Highlights projects across South Eastern Europe, , , , , , , , bosnia-and-herzegovina kosovo phase2 rwanda locationfilm sdg-10-inequalities sdg-4-education sdg-5-gender sdg-8-work subject-participatory-arts
Mobile Arts for Peace Project UpdateBlog (2019/07/07) Mobile Arts for Peace Project UpdateKurtis Dennison, , , phase1 rwanda locationblog language-english subject-reflections
Case Study: Consolidation, Learning and Evaluation in Kenya and Rwanda'Consolidation, Learning and Evaluation in Kenya and Rwanda'. A critical review of Changing the Story Projects in Eastern Africa. This report shares on how formal and informal citizenship and peace …Chaste Uwihoreye, Dr John Mwangi Githigaro, Dr Marlon Moncrieffe, , , , , kenya rwanda locationreport language-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-17-partnerships sdg-4-education
Meet EricMeet Eric Ngabonziza, a Changing the Story Youth Research Board member from Rwanda.Eric Ngabonziza, rwanda youth-research-board locationfilm
What are the benefits of integrating young people in peacebuilding processes in communities and schools?Blog (2019/11/15) What are the benefits of integrating young people in peacebuilding processes in communities and schools?, , , , , phase1 rwanda changemakers locationblog language-english subject-reflections youth
Through Art, theatre and Dialogue, young people are able to express their thoughts to the countryUzabintwari project at Rwamagana Youth center "YEGO CENTER" We are using Art, theatre and Dialogue, for bring back heroism! let the elders guide the young so the raise wisely! and …Eric Ngabonziza, Leonard, , rwanda youth-research-board locationfilm language-kinyarwanda
The planet of no memoryThis fanzine is created by the Youth Research Board's Preserving Memory Group composed by: David, Antonia, Trina and Leonard. It comes as a product of art research on projects supported …Antonia Bello, David Espitia, Leonard Nyiringabo, Trina Hoti, , , , colombia kosovo rwanda youth-research-board locationformat-zine language-english
Phase One Critical Review: Mobile Arts for Peace (Rwanda)As part of Changing the Story's Phase One Activities is Rwanda this critical review and project reflection maps out the work of the project taking place in both public and …Dr Sylvestre Nzahabwanayo, , , , , , , , , phase1 rwanda locationreport language-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-3-health-and-well-being sdg-4-education subject-participatory-arts subject-reflections youth
Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP): Shaping the Rwandan National CurriculumBlog (2019/03/28) Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP): Shaping the Rwandan National CurriculumProf Ananda Breed, , , phase1 rwanda locationblog language-english subject-reflections
Critical review of Changing the Story Projects in Eastern Africa ProjectWatch the critical review of Changing the Story Projects in Eastern Africa Project led by Dr Marlon Moncrieffe, (Principal Investigator) University of Brighton, UK. With partners Dr John Mwangi St. …Chaste Uwihoreye, Dr John Mwangi Githigaro, Dr Marlon Moncrieffe, , , , kenya phase2 rwanda locationfilm language-english subject-reflections
Case Study: Consolidation, Learning and Evaluation in Kenya and Rwanda'Consolidation, Learning and Evaluation in Kenya and Rwanda'. A critical review of Changing the Story Projects in Eastern Africa. This report shares on how formal and informal citizenship and peace …Chaste Uwihoreye, Dr John Mwangi Githigaro, Dr Marlon Moncrieffe, , , , , kenya rwanda locationreport language-kiswahil sdg-10-inequalities sdg-17-partnerships sdg-4-education
Understanding Places from a DistanceBlog (2021/04/27) Understanding Places from a DistanceDr Paula Callus, , , , kosovo phase2 rwanda locationblog language-english subject-reflections
Inclusion: DisabilityChanging the Story has produced a series of short videos which address the various aspects of safeguarding in international development research. The aim of the series is to provide you …, , , , , , , nepal rwanda safeguarding locationfilm language-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-17-partnerships sdg-4-education subject-disability
Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP): Youth and Participatory Arts in RwandaThis is an Accepted Manuscript version of chapter 7 of the book 'Participatory Arts in International Development' published by Routledge/CRC Press on 29 August 2019. The final version of each …Prof Ananda Breed, , rwanda locationarticle language-english subject-participatory-arts
Making connections: reflections on the use of proverbs in research and practiceBlog (2020/03/19) Making connections: reflections on the use of proverbs in research and practice, , , phase2 rwanda locationblog language-english subject-reflections
ReSpace Symposium (June 2021)ReSpace investigates how concepts of space, through arts-based participatory methods, can engage the ‘post-memory’ generation (Hirsch, 2008) in Rwanda and Kosovo to reimagine specific sites of memory. Chaired by ReSpace …Dr Paula Callus, , , , , , , , event kosovo phase2 rwanda locationfilm language-english sdg-16-institutions sdg-17-partnerships sdg-4-education subject-participatory-arts
Making each other human: The Mobile Arts for Peace ProjectBlog (2018/04/05) Making each other human: The Mobile Arts for Peace ProjectProf Ananda Breed, , phase1 rwanda locationblog language-english
Connective Memories - Case studyConnective Memories is a participatory arts research project on the topic of Isangizanyankuru (meaning shared stories and memories in Kinyarwanda), codesigned, co-delivered and evaluated by 10 young people and 6 …, , , , , , phase2 rwanda locationlanguage-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-3-health-and-well-being sdg-4-education subject-participatory-arts
Moncrieffe and Mwangi 2022Article shares international research project led by UK and East African stakeholders. This was framed as a consolidation of learning in our analysis and evaluation of findings from four Arts …, , , , , , kenya rwanda locationarticle language-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-17-partnerships sdg-4-education subject-policy
MAP: Curriculum for music, dance and drama in RwandaMobile Arts for Peace (MAP): Curriculum for music, dance and drama in Rwanda by A Breed, K Dennison, S Nzahabwanayo, K Pells - The Applied Theatre Reader, 2020. This chapter …Dr Kirrily Pells, Dr Sylvestre Nzahabwanayo, Kurtis Dennison, Prof Ananda Breed, , , , , , phase1 rwanda locationarticle language-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-3-health-and-well-being sdg-4-education
‘No-One Can Tell a Story Better than the One Who Lived It’Academic article. Understandings of childhood and trauma are based on bio-psychological frameworks emanating from the Global North, often at odds with the historical, political, economic, social and cultural contexts in …Chaste Uwihoreye, Dr Eric Ndushabandi, Dr Kirrily Pells, Dr Matthew Elliot, Dr Sylvestre Nzahabwanayo, Prof Ananda Breed, , , , , , rwanda locationarticle language-english sdg-10-inequalities sdg-16-institutions sdg-3-health-and-well-being sdg-4-education subject-participatory-arts
Arts-based Methods and Digital Technology for Peacebuilding during the time of COVID-19Blog (2020/09/03) Arts-based Methods and Digital Technology for Peacebuilding during the time of COVID-19Prof Ananda Breed, , , , , phase1 rwanda locationblog language-english subject-covid19 subject-participatory-arts subject-reflections
Meet LeonardMeet Leonard, a Changing the Story Youth Research Board member from Rwanda., , , rwanda changemakers youth-research-board locationfilm language-english
Remembering the Srebrenica Genocide on Holocaust Memorial DayBlog (2020/02/09) Remembering the Srebrenica Genocide on Holocaust Memorial Day, , , , , kosovo phase1 phase2 rwanda locationblog language-english subject-reflections