Inside the theater in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, Syrians from other parts of the country who support rival factions listened carefully to what she said. They have been using playback theater for years as part of their campaign to promote peace and try to prevent another breakout of war in Lebanon. Syria’s conflict began in March 2011 with largely peaceful protests against President Bashar Assad’s rule but eventually turned into an armed insurgency and civil war after a violent crackdown on the protest movement. Khodor, who is from the central Syrian town of Salamiyeh and has been training in playback theater for months added that the work helped participants meet Syrians from other ethnicities and sects. Asaad Chaftari, a former commander with the Lebanese Christian right-wing militia, the Lebanese Forces, confessed and publicly apologized years ago for his role in atrocities committed during Lebanon’s civil war that killed 150,000 people.

Source: Egypt Independent February 15, 2019 10:18 UTC