Flying Dreams of Our Future

A testimony to the resilience and innovation

The creative collaboration between Qisetna and the association L’école à l’hôpital, spearheaded by the talented Marwa Manai, was a profound exploration of storytelling and its potential as a tool for climate awareness.

Ghada Abbes from L’école à l’hopital (My school at Hospital), the main coordinator for this project in Tunisia says, “Our organisation supports children suffering from chronic or severe disease. We provide them with psychological support during their stay in the hospital through various activities using the magic of art. Flying Dreams of Our Future was exactly the kind of project we were looking for, as it weaves storytelling with education. The participants enjoy getting creative with the materials.

These young children are going through tremendous adversity and pain, and through this project, they are able to channel their adversity into art and give it meaning” , explains Ghada.

Flying Dreams of Our Future is a testimony to the resilience and innovation of these young hearts. By channelling their imagination, these workshops aimed to engage children in climate change conversations and empower them to share their stories about these relevant issues. It is a sustainable project in more ways than one. Since the initial training with Qisetna in October 2023, our team of volunteers have conducted these workshops 22 times across three hospitals, Charle Nicole Hospital, Tunisia transplant Centre and Mongi Slim Hospital in Tunisia.

110 children have participated with great enthusiasm and we are committed to the cause and hope to expand the program to more hospitals. We want to make Flying Dreams a reality, so that our children can live in a greener world. 

Manai, a gifted playwright, stage director, and actress from Tunisia, lent her expertise to a group of dedicated young volunteers working with hospitalised children. Graduated from the Ecole Normale Superieure majoring in English Language, Literature and Civilisation, Marwa is a tenured assistant professor at the University of Tunis. She then graduated from the National School of Acting under the direction of the pioneer stage director Fadhel Jaibi.

She got selected for the Tunisian National Theatre company to participate as assistant stage director and actress in Violences (2015) then as an actress and co-writer in Fentres Sur (2016)… by Raja Ben Ammar and again as an actress in Fears (2018) by Fadhel Jaibi and Jalila Baccar.

Through intensive two sessions training in storytelling techniques, this initiative aimed to bring joy and enlightenment to young patients while addressing crucial environmental themes. The result was a heartwarming blend of artistic expression and education, demonstrating the transformative power of storytelling in fostering resilience and inspiring environmental stewardship among both storytellers and their young audience.

This initiative was organised by the Institute of International Debate led by Elyes Guermazi. Their goal is to create an international platform of young leaders to debate and communicate about world issues, exchange solutions and suggest alternatives for a better world.

In 2024, Qisetna is committed to expanding its impact beyond borders, fostering cross-cultural connections, and amplifying diverse voices. Our intention is to strengthen collaborations with like-minded organizations in the global south, creating a network dedicated to preserving and celebrating cultural narratives. By embracing shared experiences, we aim to transcend geographic boundaries, promoting unity and understanding through storytelling. Through this expansion, Qisetna envisions a collective effort to address common challenges, celebrate diversity, and empower communities worldwide. Together, we strive to build a global platform where stories resonate universally, fostering empathy, appreciation, and a deeper connection among people from different corners of the world.

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Nidhi Arora