I'm a big supporter of T.O. and use it in my own work and I'm wondering if other babblers have a relationship with Boal's work.

A Message from Geo Britto,
Center for the Theater of the Oppressed,
Rio de Janeiro

Dear Friends-

As you might already know, Augusto Boal has been nominated to be a
candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2008. This wonderful news
brought all of us at the CTO-Rio much joy and happiness because we
think that the work that Augusto Boal has done throughout the world,
for so many decades, truly merits receipt of that prestigious prize.
This candidacy not only honors Boal personally but also acknowledges
all Theater of the Oppressed practitioners, working throughout five
continents, and it will be a stimulus to for them continue their
splendid work.

Augusto Boal's most important artistic creation, Theater of the
Oppressed, is now being used in more than seventy countries by hundreds
of groups, in such fields as education and pedagogy, social work and
mental health, and political and cultural activism, as well as numerous
other areas where people are deprived of their right to fully be
themselves and exist freely. Deprived of their identity and their right
to dialog, Theater of the Oppressed becomes the Theater of Dialog.

Those practicing TO groups have helped thousands of people around the
world to demand their rights and have been fully engaged in the ongoing
struggles against racism, sexism, slavery and all other forms of
exploitation.

To learn more about the Theater of the Oppressed go to
http://www.theatreoftheoppresed.org [Also see TOPLAB's website at
http://www.toplab.org]

Between now and January 31, 2008 the Norwegian Nobel Committee will be
receiving nominations for Peace Prize candidates, and between February
and October the Committee will evaluate those nominations. According to
its rules, the Committee will submit nominating invitations to people
of its choice (typically, Nobel laureates and others specifically
designated in accordance with its rules) but will also accept and
consider proposals and nominations from other people and institutions.

The mere fact that Augusto Boal has already been nominated as a
candidate calls attention to the importance of his work and will
considerably help expand the use and practice of Theater of the
Oppressed techniques to benefit more and more oppressed people and
communities.

If you support Augusto Boal's nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize we
request that you write to:

The Norwegian Nobel Committee
Henrik Ibsens gate 51
NO-0255 OSLO
Norway

tel. - +47 22 129300
fax - + 4722 12 93 10

In writing to the Committee, you must give solid and substantial reasons
why you think Augusto Boal would be a worthy recipient of the Peace
Prize. Cite some personal experiences you have had with Theater of the
Oppressed, and note how you or your community or constituency has
benefitted from the use of those techniques. If possible, we ask you
also to contact influential people that you might know and who might be
willing to join this campaign, such as:

- --members of governments, national assemblies, congresses, etc. -
Members of International Courts of Laws;

- --university chancellors, deans or professors, especially in the fields
of social science, history, philosophy, law, and theology;

- --leaders and active members of peace and social justice organizations
and research institutes, human rights groups, and organizations dealing
with international affairs;

- --former Nobel Prize laureates.

People making formal nominations are asked NOT to publish their
proposals--that request comes from the Norwegian Nobel Committe. We at
the Centro do Teatro do Oprimido in Rio de Janeiro will keep all
nominating declarations confidential.

We would love to know your reaction to Augusto Boal's candidacy. Please
write to us at [email protected]