Puppet show “Esma Starts a Car” on the International Day of the Girl

A puppet show “Esma Starts a Car”, staged in partnership with the Union of the National Professional Puppet Theatres of Georgia and Akhaltsikhe State Puppet Theater, at the initiative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Georgia Country Office, with support of the European Union, was hosted by the Tbilisi State Puppet Theater on the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11.

The puppet show is directed by Elene Matskhonashvili, winner of the Duruji Theater Award, and written by playwright Alex Chighvinadze, winner of the Saba Literary Prize. The puppets and decorations were designed by artist Vakhtang Koridze.

A culturally relevant and age-appropriate puppet show was prepared for children aged 6-10 and their parents. “Esma Starts a Car” is a puppet show for girls and boys who dream, break stereotypes on the path to equality, and want to change the world and make it a better place for all. This is a story for their families, who are not afraid of adventures and are proud of their children regardless of their gender. At the same time, it is a story of true friendship, devotion and support that will make adolescents think about many things and make their parents to flash back to their childhood.

The puppet show is part of the campaign “Do not Differentiate: a Girl and a Boy are both your Future!“, through which the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reminds everyone that both girls and boys are of equal value to their families, communities and countries.

The puppet show was prepared within the framework of the “Addressing Gender-Biased Sex Selection and Related Harmful Practices in the South Caucasus” programme, funded by the European Union, implemented by UNFPA.