Chisinau - The VII-th edition of the National Social Theater Festival, organized by Y-PEER Moldova, with the support of UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, took place on November 26, 2016 in Ialoveni.

This year, the Festival was attended by over 200 young people from different parts of the country. 14 teams out of 30, who have registered into the competition, were selected for the final event.

The 2016 awards were distributed for four categories: (1) the best message, (2) the most actual problem, (3) the best stage performance and (4) the most active team with the biggest number of presentations staged at local level.

Based on the results of the competition, the team "Maximum" from Balti won the award for the best message for the social theater play on the topic of discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The most actual problem award was split between two teams – the team of the Youth Friendly Health Centre Orhei, who choose the problem of lack of sexual education in schools, and the team "The Gang from the North" from Balti, who presented the problem of gender-based discrimination.

The team "RAI" from Ghidighici choose the problem of adolescent pregnancy for their social theatre play and was awarded the prise for the best stage performance.

The most active team category prize was also split between two teams - "A window to the world" from Albineţul Vechi village of Falesti rayon and the team from Leuseni. These teams have held the biggest number of presentations staged at local level.

All the teams tried to involve the audience through art and improvisation to find solutions for the problems addressed. Young actors have impressed viewers by messages conveyed in social theatre plays.

The National Social Theatre Festival is the result of rigorous training and efforts of Y-PEER Moldova and hundreds of young people across the country. Each of the 30 teams of young people, who have signed up, have profited, starting with September, from training sessions organised by Y-PEER Moldova in social theatre techniques and in sexual and reproductive health, HIV and youth risk behaviour prevention.

The training session for each team lasted one day, after which the young people have created and presented a social theater play in their community. The 14 teams who participated at the National Social Theater festival were selected based on several criteria, including social theatre presentations at local level, importance and clarity of the message, selected topic.

The National Social Theater Festival has the aim is to inform young people about issues related to sexual and reproductive health and rights.