Sunera Foundation holds ‘Samanalayaya 2023’ Regional Drama Festival

Sunera Foundation holds ‘Samanalayaya 2023’ Regional Drama Festival 9 regional performances, featuring 29 Sunera workshops, showcasing the talents of 900 differently-abled workshop participants.   
The Regional Drama Festival of the ‘Samanalayaya 2023’ organised by Sunera Foundation to showcase the talents of young differently-abled participants attached to its performing arts workshops around the island is currently underway. The Regional Drama Festival, which commenced in July will go on till September at 9 regional locations.   

From January, the rehearsals have been in full swing to prepare 29 Sunera workshops for the drama festival. Each Sunera workshop performs a play which is conceptualised, scripted and directed by Sunera trainers, and rehearsed by the participants. In what would be an unforgettable display of talent and creativity, around 900 Sunera workshop participants take to the stage with their creative productions at the regional-level drama festivals held in Panadura, Kandy, Kekirawa, Minuwangoda, Dehiwela, Kuliyapitiya, Chilaw, Kamburupitya and Galle. These regional performances are evaluated by a panel of judges and the best three plays are selected for the grand finals in Colombo to be held in October.   
This year’s Samanalayaya Drama Festival (both regional and final) is supported by the Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka through a Direct Aid Programme Grant.   

Sunera Foundation uses the medium of performing arts to achieve social integration for persons living with disabilities in Sri Lanka and conducts free, weekly workshops across the country. The Samanalayaya Drama Festival is a result of these regular workshop activities which entail a mix of drama rehearsals, music, exercises, art therapy, puppetry etc.   
While raising awareness of the unique work done by Sunera, using the performing arts as a therapeutic tool for the disabled, Samanalayaya drama festivals give workshop participants an opportunity to get on stage and showcase their talent to the public. The objective is to instil self-confidence in them and facilitate the integration of this marginalised group into mainstream society.