The Beyond Initiative is a project dedicated to planting the seeds of the Dances of Universal Peace (DUP) in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. This program started as a collaboration between a start up funding from DUP-IN and the Global Ecovillage Network who provided contacts with local organisers in this regions. With the years more allies and more independent funding came along. Currently the Beyond Initiative operates as an autonomous project reporting periodically to the DUP-IN, who serves as a channel of donations and guarantor of its integrity. Our focus is on young people who want to train and organise local workshops in their local environments. We organise annual regional/continental training camps and invite fellow dance leaders in training to join from the surrounding countries. If you would like a more in depth video on the Beyond Initiative, please follow here.

The Beyond Initiative is an endeavor to bring together two of Murshid SAM’s visions:

• spreading peace, and
• spreading it in a sustainable world.

The initiative is being done in partnership with the Global Ecovillage Network, so it is

touching youth who are dedicated to global sustainability.  It focuses on regions

that are under-privileged in countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific,

taking the dances to people who might not otherwise have the opportunity

to experience them, and to places where peace is especially needed right now. It is being focused

by our younger generation of mentors and is naturally attracting youth of a similar age.

Where are we taking the Dances and Walks?

We have a dedicated, long-term commitment to the training of the new leaders in these regions.  As a result of our program so far, there are now permanent dance circles in Turkey, Israel, and Iran. New sessions are developing in several Asian countries – including Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, the Maldives, and the Auroville community in India. We are making a 3-year commitment to the continual training of these new dance leaders. In addition, we are beginning to plan programs in Mediterranean North Africa and in new parts of the Asia-Pacific region. The young Mentors who are traveling to these non-Western cultures are taking with them caravans of DUP dancers of all ages who want to be part of the adventure!

In 2022 50 dancers from 18 countries traveled to Turkey.

How does this work?

The model for seeding the dances is not to focus on established Western dance leaders continuously traveling to that country, but to cultivate local dance leaders who can carry on the tradition themselves. 

This means

• we are creating events (camps, dance leader trainings) in new countries
• we are bringing emergent dance leaders to Sufi and dance events in Western countries

• we are fostering links between emergent dance leaders in these new territories with dance communities in Western countries.

The methodology and structure of the Beyond program are explained here. The Beyond initiative is a project for which DUP International is responsible. Arjun Calero is the project co-ordinator.

How is the initiative funded?

The initial funds for this project came to DUP IN as an endowment, and this seems to be a most beautiful way to honor this bequest! But now through careful stewardship and a continuing stream of generous donations, the project has a life of its own.  There are several ways you can support and join this work – see below.

The journey so far

Beyond Initiative Asia tour 2023, in collaboration with Global Ecovillage Network. https://genoaecovillage.org/dances-of-universal-peace-workshops-asia-2023/

December 2022: summary of planting the Dances in Asia: Beyond Initiative: from the West to the East the message goes back

April, 2022: Visions of the future for the Dances (Beyond initiative): recording 

2021 online gathering
Spiritual Bypass panel and presentations - recordings:
Introduction and music from India: https://youtu.be/FV4Us3_rHlY
Panel discussion: Spiritual Bypass: https://youtu.be/nyKFYtJFtzw
Musicians from Turkey and Israel: https://youtu.be/j50BP_RdA_8

How You Can Participate

There are several ways you can be part of the Initiative:

• Sponsor an emerging leader

  You can make your donation here:
  

  

 

• Sponsor a participant to come to your event

You or your dance circle or region can sponsor one of these foreign leaders to come to your event. Contact Arjun to discuss this.

• Consider a legacy

Make a bequest to DUP International.

You can find details here.                                                                                 

For queries about the project and for donations please contact

the Executive Director: director@dancesofuniversalpeace.org.