On 5 December 2019, the centenary of Save the Children, students participating in the Story Programme organized by the Child Centre - Gaza and performed a play entitled “The Sleeping Beauty”.
The Centre implements the Story Programme with the students of al-Mamounia Elementary School (A) as part its Autumn Programme for 2019.
Ghassan Abu Libdeh, Performing Arts Coordinator and children’s trainer, commented that a new context of the story was developed through employing theatre and drama devices and techniques, pointing that the participating students were able to richly highlight conventions by presenting the issue of “early marriages” in the theatrical performance.
The storyline revolves around a king who decides to marry his 14-year-old daughter to the prince who saved her life. The princess tries to convince her father that she is unable to take the responsibility of building a family, raising children and bearing all the burdens involved. She asks her father to summon a princess from a nearby kingdom who was married at a young age. The princess succeeds in convincing the king of the seriousness of early marriage, and as a result, the king issues a royal decision banning early marriage in his realm.
It is noteworthy that 22 female students participated in the Story Programme during its implementation, and during which time they rehearsed a number of popular stories chosen from the Child Centre’s Library in Gaza.