Released: 15.06.10

During the week of 27th June Plymouth welcomes the long awaited ARROW Global Congress – ‘Playing with Conflict.’

Young people from Plymouth will host this major international event, which will be attended by their peers from towns and cities across the UK and representatives from Sierra Leone, South Africa, Palestine, India, Kosovo, Rwanda, Portugal, Brazil, Malaysia and China.  The Congress is an opportunity for these remarkable young people, from some of the most conflict affected places on the earth, to share the creative work they do in their own communities, learn from each other and build a global network of practice and ideas.

The visits by the overseas participants have been made possible through an extensive fundraising effort, with committed and generous support from several grassroots groups and individuals, including staff and students at UCP Marjon, young people in the Voices for Change group at the Barbican Theatre, Tavistock Quakers, ex-M.P.’s Linda Gilroy and Colin Breed and many others.

During the week participants will work with a team of professional artists to create a Carnival Parade in Plymouth City Centre on the final Saturday morning.  For the Carnival the Congress will team up and link with the wider city wide Arts Education Festival run by Barefoot.

On Wednesday the Congress will transfer their sharing and creative activity to a beach setting, an opportunity for overseas and UK delegates to take part in a Beach Festival to enjoy and appreciate the unique coast of the SW.

During this very full week people in Plymouth are invited to come to UCP Marjon and see the remarkable Forgiveness Project Exhibition in the Chaplaincy - a deeply moving set of panels telling the story of people who have survived and dealt with extraordinary and traumatic experiences.  This will be open to the public as well as schools and church groups.  Camilla Carr, who was kidknapped with her husband in Chechyna in 1996, will open the event.

On Thursday ARROW will be hosting in collaboration with Plymouth City Council a sixth form conference on the UCP Marjon campus and on Friday an academic/practitioner symposium addressing the theme of the ARROW Congress is taking place at the University of Plymouth.

The Congress will close with the spectacular Carnival on the morning of Saturday 3rd July in the city centre.