A Model of Inter-Cultural Connection Through the Performing Arts: Enacting Alternative Communication Strategies

The research explored the validity of a pedagogical model born in a tormented period in the Middle East and created to bring young people of different cultures together, give them hope, and help them live positively despite adversity. Over the years, it has been presented in different contexts. The effect of changing and the deep connection between the participants through mutual knowledge and acceptance and enhancement of emotional intelligence makes an important contribution to the lives of the participants. The study was qualitative action research conducted in three contexts: the multicultural Arcobaleno theater; the teachers and pupils of the experimental elementary school Sultan El Atrash in the Druze village Hurfeish in Northern Israel; the students of the education faculty at Tel-Hai College. Findings show combining dialogue skills with the development of emotional and social intelligence can bridge the gap between cultures, and acquiring new tools for developing personal expression can reinforce community values.