In Amman, the JRS Jordan Youth and Arts Programmes brings refugee communities together, across cultural, experiential, and faith differences through acting, music, and dance.

This year, their hard work culminated in a powerful musical, “On Planet Safar”, which celebrates diversity and shares a story of welcoming one another.

Challenges for refugee communities in Jordan

JRS Jordan serves refugees from Sudan, Somalia, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Eritrea, each group facing challenges accessing services and opportunities to which they are entitled. The disparities often keep people in insular communities, not speaking amongst each other. Yet music and the arts help bring people together and, as the JRS team saw, dissolve these barriers.

“We are lucky to have so many talented artists in our community,” said Mara Giordano, who joined JRS Jordan in 2023 as Project Manager, and spearheaded a series of pilot workshops in theatre, music, and dance. At the core of these programmes is a commitment to honouring and celebrating the rich cultural traditions of each refugee community.

“Through art and cultural activities, we try to break the barriers between communities that would not usually find many chances to interact and create something new and beautiful together,” commented Silvia Mazzocchin, JRS Jordan Communications and Advocacy Manager.

Overcoming barriers through the power of art

In early 2024, Mara, JRS Jordan Project Manager convened a brainstorming session with refugees and host community members, encouraging them to share their stories and the messages they wished to communicate through art. The group brought up themes of belonging, living together, celebrating diversity, and peace. These stories inspired a Sudanese refugee and author, Mohamed Hussein, to create an original story titled “On Planet Safar.”

“On Planet Safar,” life is divided between darkness and light. In the north, the sun always shines, while the south is a land of darkness and cold. The planet’s inhabitants live in peace and harmony, until a disaster divides the planet, separating them and scattering them to inhospitable new lands.

The inhabitants of “Planet Safar” must deal with forced displacement and search for safety. They struggle to see beyond one another’s differences and build a sense of community. But through a series of events, the people of “Planet Safar” find harmony and recognise diversity not as a threat, but as a source of enrichment.

The making of the musical “On Planet Safar”

With the partner organisation, Seenaryo, JRS Jordan developed “On Planet Safar” into a musical, with children taking centre stage as the main protagonists. To start production, JRS Jordan trained members of the refugee communities in music, art, dance, and acting so that they could teach the children. Under their guidance, children embraced the music and dance traditions of one another’s cultures, including learning Dabke, a folk dance that originated in the Middle East.

“I was impressed by how well the children understood the significance of the story and the gift of cultural diversity” commented Silvia, JRS Jordan Communications and Advocacy Manager. She remarked on the children’s enthusiasm to connect with one another and how that offers a sign of hope.

The great success of portraying a shared humanity

In July, when the musical premiered, families and guests from local communities filled the auditorium. The performance played to a sold-out house of 500 attendees. Following the show, the cast and crew shared how the experience had shaped their understanding of collaboration and cultural appreciation.

“This musical was more than a performance,” added Mara, JRS Jordan Project Manager. “It was a chance for people in our refugee communities to reclaim their human dignity. They are more than the label of “refugee.” On stage, they showcased their talents and celebrated their shared humanity.”

This story first appeared in JRS INSIDER, a monthly newsletter by JRS USA that collects stories of JRS’s impact around the world. The original version is available here.