When learning is fun

The sound of laughter floated through the campus of Oakridge International School in Gachibowli on Monday as educators, trainers, facilitators and social workers come together to learn to use the power of play for education.

Organised by ‘Play for Peace’, the event aimed to bring together children, youth and organisations from communities in conflict, using cooperative play to create laughter, compassion, and peace.

The session was facilitated by Ajat Shatru, Abha Jeurkar and Javed Shah who are certified trainers. Speaking about the event, Shatru said, “These programmes encourage people to shift from a place of isolation, stress, fear and violence to a place of inspiration, collaboration, connection and peace.

Participants begin to unlearn previously held biases and take action together. From this place of transformation, communities have the foundation to enter a dialogue and generate new avenues for building peace.”

Diyanat Ali, mentor and organiser of the ‘Play for Peace’ Hyderabad Club said that the sessions are fun-filled and have a transformational power in brining diverse participants together and lets them feel connected through shedding their bias, inhibitions. “We welcome more facilitators and members to come forward to take this movement to all communities, schools, neighbourhoods to build peace,” he said.

Meanwhile, Shah who works on the concept of zero violence with children and teachers in many communities and schools in Hyderabad said that “creative expression has now become a mandate in elite schools, but often children do not get a space to express themselves freely and without any inhibitions.”