On November 22, 2024, Chaand Nagar Theatre had the pleasure of hosting an extraordinary workshop in collaboration with the Swiss theatre company The Arnold & Komarov Travelling Theatre. Titled “HOME: A Storytelling Workshop on the Concept of Home and Belonging,” the session brought together artists, writers, and storytellers to reflect deeply on what “home” truly means.

The workshop, supported by the Swiss cultural fund Pro Helvetia, was part of a larger international project developed by performing artists Amna Mawaz Khan and Imran Mushter Nafees in partnership with the Arnold & Komarov Travelling Theatre. It offered a space for participants to explore the complexity of home—a word rich with emotions ranging from comfort, safety, and identity to displacement, longing, and even conflict.

Participants were introduced to the research conducted in both Pakistan and Switzerland on the theme of home and belonging. Drawing from these insights, they then engaged in a guided writing session, crafting personal narratives that reflected their own journeys, questions, and ideas around the notion of home.

The workshop was further enriched by intervals led by Ilja Komarov, who introduced participants to the Alexander Technique, a mindful approach to movement that helps reduce physical stress and brings awareness to how we carry ourselves in the world. This embodied element added depth and grounding to the reflective writing process.

The session at Chaand Nagar was a resounding success. Participants not only shared powerful, vulnerable stories but also discovered how shared experiences of belonging and displacement transcend borders. Many of the pieces written during the workshop were later featured in a performance held at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) the following week, bringing these intimate reflections into the public sphere.

Chaand Nagar Theatre remains committed to creating spaces for meaningful dialogue, artistic exploration, and cross-cultural collaboration. The HOME workshop was a beautiful reminder of the transformative power of storytelling—and the many ways in which theatre can help us understand where, and with whom, we belong.