The British Bus Breaks for Summer!

July and August will not see any performances by the British Bus. The original project was slated to end in June 2007, but we have been greatly encouraged to continue by the children, schoolteachers and principals whom we were proud to have in our audience. We remain hopeful that we will be able to secure additional funding in order to continue the project from September 2007. Thank you for your support!

The British Bus Wraps Up June

The British Bus completed its series of performances in the second half of June with plays for the children at Aregnazan school, the Ajapnyak Children Care Centre and Zeitun, where beneficiaries of the organisation SOS had gathered. We got very positive feedback from all the children. Nothing is more reassuring than the smiles on the faces of our audience and a display of the knowledge that they have gained from our performance!

The British Bus at Mkhitar Sebastatsi!

The British Bus went to the Bangladesh district of Yerevan today to perform at the Mkhitar Sebastatsi educational complex. We had an audience of about 100 eager young faces. The topic for the day was about keeping the environment clean, and our life-sized trashcan spoke to the children about how important it is to clean up after ourselves. The children had a chance to put their knowledge into practice at the end of the show by cleaning up the litter on stage.

Thank you to everyone at the Mkhitar Sebastatsi educational complex!

Back at Zatik Orphanage

Another place we love visiting is Zatik. It was our second visit there. The children were very happy to see us again and even talked about how they had loved making the paper-toy British Bus that we had left them last time. This time our performance was about pluralism and the importance of respecting differences among people.

Orran Again!

We love the children at Orran, and it shows!

The British Bus was at Orran again today and this time our performance focused on pluralism and diversity. The children agreed - it's OK to be different, and there is no need to make fun of someone just because he or she is not the same. The world would be a very boring place if we all looked, talked, dressed and thought alike!

Keep smiling!

The British Bus in Gyumri!

Yes, the British Bus left Yerevan for the first time on Saturday, June 2. We visited the Trchoonyan Orphanage in Gyumri and were very warmly received by the children and administration there. The children put on a performance that showcased, in the words of Richard Hyde, the Deputy Head of Mission at British Embassy Yerevan, "The best of Armenian culture in the space of only an hour." Their performances - all the songs, instrumental musical pieces, dances and recitations - all but eclipsed our own play. There were so many photos from this day that it was a real task to choose which would go on the blog!

The British Bus group talked to them about traffic rules and regulations for pedestrians, and the children were very active in answering questions and reproducing the information that they had been given. Around 80 children were present and almost all of them were talented in one way or another.

Thank you to everyone at the Trchoonyan Orphanage!

Happy Children's Day!

Everyone at the British Bus would like to wish you a happy Children's Day (no matter how old you are!). On June 1, the whole world focuses on Children's Rights and on protecting the little citizens of Planet Earth.

The British Bus joined the annual celebratory event in the Cascade area, in a medley performance that featured the most colorful costumes and charismatic characters the project has produced. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of children present and the noise level was unbelievable! Some of the audience members enthusiastically joined in with our characters and danced on stage.

Happy Children's Day!

Feedback from Zatik Orphanage

Հետաքրքիր և ուսանելի էր: Շնորհակալություն, որ եկաք:

- Անահիտ Ամիրյան, Զատիկ մանկատան փոխ-տնօրեն

It was interesting and educational. Thank you for coming!

-Anahit Amiryan, Deputy Director, Zatik Orphanage

The British Bus at Zatik Orphanage!

The British Bus visited the Zatik orphanage in Kanaker today. We were greeted very enthusiatically and performed in front of around 60 children. The play focused on consumer rights and a lot of laughter was elicited by the race, and then the boxing m atch, between Time and the Expiration Date!

We were also very touched by the help offered by the children while we were setting up for the play as well as while moving our equipment back on to the British Bus.

Thank you, Zatik orphanage!

The British Bus at Orran

The British Bus team spent the evening at Orran. We were warmly welcomed by more than thirty children, and even a duststorm could not prevent the first open-air performance from being a success! The topic for the day was Consumer Rights and the play spoke about how almost all products have an expiration date, and why it is very important - as a consumer - to check whether what you're buying has expired. Whether "Time" and "Expiration Date" are portrayed as racers or boxers (our actors do a wonderful job in both cases!) Time will always keep moving while the Expirate Date will come and go - don't use those items where Time has overcome the Expiration Date!

Thank you to the children at Orran and especially the administration for their continuous support and the smiles on their faces!

The British Bus visits School no. 161!

On May 25, the British Bus visited school no. 161 in the Shengavit district of Yerevan. The occasion coincided with the last day of classes for most schools in the country. Congratulations to everyone on this happy occasion - may those of you who have now finished school move on to further education and great success!

As for school no. 161, we were welcomed with great warmth and enthusiasm from around 80 children of grades 3 and 4. The audience was wonderful - very attentive and very active! The theatre group focused on traffic rules and regulations for pedestrians, as in other schools this week. As always, all the active audience members got mugs, pens and paper toys as gifts from the British Bus.

Thank you school no. 161!

Feedback from School. no. 161!

"Այս միջոցառումը շատ լավ էր կազմակերպված: Պետք է բոլոր դպրոցահասակ երեխաներն իմանան այս մասին և կիրառեն ճիշտ տեղին և ժամին:"

- թիվ 161 դպրոցի ուոսուցչուհի

"This event was very well organised. All school-aged children should know about the topic discussed today and should use this knowledge at the right place and time."

- teacher, school no. 161

The British Bus visits Aregnazan private school!

Today, the British Bus was at the Aregnazan private school on Saryan street in Central Yerevan. Around 80 pupils actively participated in the performance and sometimes drowned out the actors with their laughter and comments! Traffic rules and regulations for pedestrians were once again the topic, and the audience giggled with delight at the traffic light and policeman!

Thank you, Aregnazan school!

Feedback from School no. 109!

Ներկայացումը շատ բովանդակալից էր, շատ գեղեցիկ ներկայացվեց: Ամենակարևորը, որ շատ ճիշտ թեմա էր ընտրված երեխաների համար, որոնք մեծանում են և պետք է ծանոթանան երթևեկության կանոնների հետ, չնայած Երևանում երթևեկությունը այնքան էլ պատշաճ մակարդակի վրա չէ: Շատ շնորհակալ ենք, շատ լավ էր ամեն ինչ:

-Ժաննա Ամիրյան, թիվ 109 դպրոցի ուսուցչուհի

The performance was very good in content, everything was presented beautifully. Most importantly, the topic was very relevant to the children's needs. They're growing up and need to know traffic rules and regulations for pedestrians, even though this area still needs improvement in Yerevan. We are very grateful, everything was wonderful.

-Zhanna Amiryan, teacher, school no. 109

The British Bus visits School no. 109!

Today the British Bus visited school no. 109 in the Ajapnyak district of Yerevan and the theatre group presented the Traffic Rules play to around 70 children of grades 3 and 4. Thank you for the warm welcome!

What is the British Bus Project?

The posts so far sound great, but what IS the British Bus Project?

Here is some more information on the British Bus Project.

The British Bus Project is being organised by the British Embassy in Yerevan with the participation of the youth group Theatre for Change. The project seeks to communicate important messages about civic life to children aged 8-14 years, through short plays lasting 15-20 minutes. Staging plays began in March and is scheduled to end in late June, at this point in the program plan. A continuation of the program from September 2007 is under consideration and subject to the availability of funding.
The British Bus Project aims at encouraging children to make positive contributions to society and have their share of responsibility in the community. The plays offer a differ atmosphere for the children from their everyday classes. The children are presented with specific situations and participate in correcting mistakes in character's behaviour. By answering questions and seeing the difference in the outcome before and after fixing the behaviour - when more responsible action is undertaken - the message leaves a more lasting impression in the audience's mind. Each play also has a song in the end which reinforces the overall message, and children are provided lyrics to the refrain and asked to sing along.
There are 8 topics, and correspondingly 8 plays staged by the British Bus Project -
1. Littering - Do your bit to keep your city clean!
2. Consumer rights - How do responsible consumers act?
3. Public utilities - How should you use electricity, water and gas responsibly? Who do you call in case of an emergency?
4. Traffic rules - How do you stay safe on the street as a pedestrian? What are the rules of public transportation?
5. Civil behaviour - How should you behave in public places like the cinema?
6. Freedom of choice - Why do we choose representatives and how do we decide whom to choose?
7. Pluralism and tolerance - So we're all different... so what?
8. Healthy living - What kind of behaviour will increase our chances of a long and healthy life?

For further information, please contact Naira Sultanyan (Naira.Sultanyan@fco.gov.uk), Bela Dallakyan (Bela.Dallakyan@fco.gov.uk) at the British Embassy, Yerevan or Nazareth Seferian (nseferian@yahoo.com).


<<Բրիտանական ավտոբուս>> նախագիծը կազմակերպվում է Հայաստանում Մեծ Բրիտանիայի դեսպանատան կողմից <<Փոփոխությունների թատրոն>> երիտասարդական թատերախմբի մասնակցությամբ: Ծրագրի շրջանակներում 8-14 տարեկան դպրոցական երեխաներին հաղորդվում են հասարակական կյանքի մի շարք կարևոր ուղերձներ` 15-20 րոպե տևողությամբ թատերական ներկայցումների միջոցով: Դպրոցներում բեմադրությունները կազմակերպվում են մարտ ամսից և շարունակվելու են մինչև հունիսի վերջ:
<<Բրիտանական ավտոբուս>> նախագծի նպատակն է դպրոցականներին խրախուսել հասարակական կյանքում դրական մասնակցություն ունենալ և դրանում պատասխանատվության իրենց մասը ստանձնել:
Ներկայացումները երեխաների առօրյա դպրոցական միջավայրից բավական տարբերվում են: Ներկայացումներում տրվում են իրավիճակներ և երեխաների օգնությամբ արվում է <<սխալների ուղղում>>: Հարց ու պատասխանների միջոցով երեխաները ներգրավվում են ներկայացման մեջ, ինչի արդյունքում ուղերձներն առավել տպավորիչ և ուսանելի են դառնում: Յուրաքանչյուր ներկայացման վերջում խումբը երգում է աշխույժ երգ` նվիրված տվյալ թեմային: Հանդիսատես երեխաներին տրվում են կրկներգի խոսքերը` ձայնակցելու համար:
Ներկայացումները առնչվում են հետևյալ թեմաներին` շրջախատի մաքրություն, սպառողի իրավունքներ, հանրային ծառայություններ, երթևեկության կանոններ, հասարակական վարք, ընտրելու իրավունք, բազմակարծություն և հանդուրժողականություն, առողջ ապրելակերպ և անձնական հիգիենա:
Լրացուցիչ տեղեկությունների համար կարող եք դիմել Հայաստանում Մեծ Բրիտանիայի դեսպանատուն` Նաիրա Սուլթանյանին(Naira.Sultanyan@fco.gov.uk) կամ Բելա Դալլաքյանին (Bela.Dallakyan@fco.gov.uk) ինչպես նաև Նազարեթ Սեֆերյանին (nseferian@yahoo.com):

2500 children and counting!

The British Bus has already had more than 2500 children in Yerevan as audience members since March 2007!

We have visited the following schools -

1) School no. 20 on Charents st.
2) School no. 8 (named after Pushkin) on Moskovyan st.
3) School no. 192 in Davtashen
4) School no. 48 in Zeytun
5) School no. 162 in Bangladesh
6) School no. 83 on Orbeli st.
7) School no. 69 near Garegin Njdeh sq.
8) School no. 63 on Kievyan st.
9) School no. 19 on Teryan st.
10) School no. 112 in Malatia-Sebastia
11) School no. 62 in Nor Nork-1
12) School no. 114 on Hanrapetutyan st.
13) School no. 156 in Nor Nork-2
14) School no. 160 in Erebuni
15) School no. 27 on Tsereteli st.
16) School no. 190 in Bangladesh
17) The Physics-Mathematics school near Monument

We have also performed for the children at the Orran Center!

A very hearty "THANK YOU" to all these schools for welcoming us so warmly and for their active participation during the performance, and especially to Orran for all their support!

The British Bus Project in Armenia goes online!

Hi everyone,

This is the first posting for the British Bus project. Welcome to the British Bus Blog! You can keep up with the lastest news from our project through the posts on this page!




Բարևներ,

Սա Բրիտանական Ավտոբուս նախագծի բլոգն է: Բարի գալուստ! Հետևելով այս էջին` կարող եք ստանալ մեր նախագծի մասին ամենավերջին տեղեկությունները: