Hospital Clown Project News

In January of 2010, a group of Swedish clowns from Assirk Assaghir's partner organization, Clowns Without Borders, gave a 2-week workshop for teenage students in hospital clowning. This initiative is part of a program to train students to be clowns for children in hospitals in Nablus, especially those children suffering from chronic diseases who spend much of their time in the hospital.

20 students ranging in age from 16 to 25 participated in these workshops which included 'introduction to clowning' activities, discussions of where the clown fits in the hospital setting and practical visits to the hospitals. The students progressed during these two weeks in finding their clown character and in working with their surroundings and understanding their audience.

Also during this period, the Swedish trainers visited the main governmental hospital in Nablus numerous times as clowns to spend time with the children. They also performed shows in a center in Askar refugee camp and multiple centers for disabled children in Nablus and Ramallah such as the Red Crescent Society. Students from the workshop participated in many of the shows and held their own show in the Nablus Circus School at the conclusion of the two weeks.

This project will continue into 2010 with more training visits to hospitals and eventually trained clowns that make regular visits to hospitals and centers for disabled children.