Opening of the Republic of Childhood Youth Forum

In Person Youth

General Admission

Free

Wednesday

Nov , 2019

9:00am

Eastern

Fisher Park PS/Summit Alternative

250 Holland Avenue • Ottawa

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Opening of the Republic of Childhood Youth Forum

Today we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on November 20, 1989.<br><br>Today and for the next two days we witness the voice and agency of children and youth and recommit ourselves to listen, empower and stand with them in their calls to action for social justice that is our birthright.<br><br>Now is the time!

Featuring

• A drumming circle by students
• Performance of the play "12", co-created by 10 students and Kristina Watt

• Conversation with Guest Speaker Kathleen Gallagher, Kristina Watt and young performers
• Special address by former Senator Landon Pearson, a tireless advocate for children’s rights.

About 12

12 is a new theatre creation that gives voice to youth with regards to the Climate Crisis and the future they have inherited. The text is built from writings/conversations with 10 Ottawa teens, interviews they had with family/friends and people they met, actual text from COP24 in Poland, and words spoken by global youth activists such as Boyan Slat, Greta Thunberg, and the Australian high school kids who were told to be "less activist." 12 is not a teen rant. It dares to ask questions, including to each other, of what it actually means to take action at the 11th hour.

A 100 Watt Production in collaboration with the Ottawa Children's Theatre

Creation & Direction:
Kristina Watt

Performers and Co-Creators:
Savva Boguslavskiy
Anna Carsley-Jones
Sebastien Cimpaye
Sophie Dean
Quinn Lesaux
Jaya Matiation
Olivia Smith
Ethan Whidden
Kaatje Yates
Paige Young

Production Assistants:
Thalia Paterson

Quinn Melenchuk

The Authors

Kathleen Gallagher

Kathleen Gallagher is a Distinguished Professor at the University of Toronto and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. Previously, she held two Canada Research Chairs and in 2017 won the University of Toronto inaugural President’s Impact Award for research impact beyond the academy. In 2018 she won the David E. Hunt Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching and has garnered over 7 million dollars in SSHRC and other research funding. She has been a Salzburg Seminar Fellow and two of her books have won awards from the American Education Research Association. Her books include, Why Theatre Matters: Urban Youth, Engagement, and a Pedagogy of the real (University of Toronto Press, 2014); The Theatre of Urban: Youth and Schooling in Dangerous Times (University of Toronto Press, 2007) Drama Education in the Lives of Girls: Imagining Possibilities (University of Toronto Press, 2000). Her edited collections include: The Methodological Dilemma Revisited: Creative, Critical and Collaborative Approaches to Qualitative Research for a New Era (Routledge 2018); In Defence of Theatre: Aesthetic Practices and Social Interventions. (with Barry Freeman, University of Toronto Press 2016); Drama and Theatre in Urban Contexts (with Jonothan Neelands, Routledge 2013); The Methodological Dilemma: Creative, Critical and Collaborative Approaches to Qualitative Research (Routledge, 2008); and How Theatre Educates: Convergences and Counterpoints with Artists, Scholars, and Advocates (with David Booth, University of Toronto Press, 2003). Dr. Gallagher has published many articles on theatre, youth, pedagogy, methodology and gender and travels widely giving international addresses and workshops for practitioners. Her research continues to focus on questions of youth civic engagement and artistic practice, and the pedagogical and methodological possibilities of theatre. See Also: Youth Find Hope for the Future Through Documentary Play Website: www.dramaresearch.ca YouTubeChannel: https://www.youtube.com/user/DramaResearchPortal FacebookGroup/Page: www.facebook.com/gallagherdramaresearch Twitter: www.twitter.com/dramaresearch

Kristina Watt

Kristina is an award winning actor and theatre creator with a passion for collaborating with youth on projects that question our relationship with the planet and with each other. She is the Artistic Director & Founder of 100 Watt Productions. Once relocated to Canada, she has performed at the National Arts Centre, Great Canadian Theatre Company, New Theatre of Ottawa, St Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, and the Ottawa Fringe Festival. Recent projects include: Up to Low, Holding Mercury, A Christmas Carol, The Virgin Trial, Angel Square, God of Carnage, Blackbird and Top Girls (Prix Rideau Awards for both). Recent projects/creations with youth include 12, the 100 Watt Earth Stage at the Ottawa International Children's Festival, Wild Life, 12 Drops and 1 Moon and The Extremely Short Play Festival at the National Arts Centre. Born in Scotland, grew up in Colombia & Canada, trained in the U.S, England & Canada. Instructor/coach at the University of Ottawa, National Arts Centre, OCT and private coach of lawyers & public speakers. www.100WATT.org

Landon Pearson

The Honourable Landon Pearson OC is a long-time advocate for the rights and well-being of children. Throughout her career, whether working with or on behalf of children at home and abroad, serving on various councils and commissions or in her role as a Canadian senator responsible for children, Landon Pearson has been an outspoken champion for children. Upon her retirement from the Senate in 2005 she was invited by Carleton University to establish a centre to ensure that her years of work and her passion for children’s rights would continue to inspire others to carry her vision forward.