Windhoek — Two Namibian community and institutional theatre representatives have been co-opted into a Finnish-Namibian developmental partnership and social innovation project to be produced early next year.

Timo Palander, the development officer and director of the project, is presently in Namibia to make final arrangements for a five-day workshop to be held from December 12 to 17 at the University of Tampere in Finland.

The trip is part of a partnership between the Namibian towns of Keetmanshoop and Ondangwa with Finnish cities Lempaala and Kangasala.

"We have conducted intensive dialogue and consultations with our Namibian counterparts on methodologies of promoting democracy, tolerance and governance through this project. It has been agreed that the capacity building shall prioritise drama-based methods and narrative approach based on a deep understanding and mutual respect on local culture, tradition and language," Palander said.

The project involves the center for Research of Drama at the University of Tampere, the UNAM performing arts department, Committed Artists of Namibia, the CCN and the Polytechnic of Namibia.

"During the first meeting next week in Finland a plan for piloting the drama-based methods shall be prepared. Different theatre presentation concepts will be considered by the theatre experts such as devising, forum theatre, improvisation, process drama, playback theatre, theatre in education and community theatre," he said.