(klik hier voor Nederlandse versie)
October 25th, my game Escape route X was played at Deltion College, Zwolle, with 18 students social work and their teacher Petra Turan (MSc).
We created four playing tables. Each table was accompanied by a game handler and experience expert. For this task, I had brought Abdullah al Mohamed (25) from Syria, Noor Ba- Hashwan (23) from Yemen, Hasmik Karapetyan (32) from Armenia and Mustafa Ahmed (22) from Somalia. They were responsible for issuing game IDs, situation cards and travelling money during the game and monitored the rules of the game.
After the game that lasted 90 minutes, which was truth-based but about fictional flight stories, they told their personal impressive flight stories and the students could ask questions. They were visibly impressed. And so was I! Their contribution made this afternoon a very special and warm experience.
You can see how the game was received in the compilation here.
With this good experience, we can look further at how and where we can use the game more in the near future (and on what scale).
The objective is still: to provide more insight into refugee issues here and in the country of origin in these times of polarisation and increasing intolerance. Yet also to give it a face and a personal story, thus contributing to a more open attitude towards newcomers.
This pilot was created in collaboration with Petra Turan, with support from Zwolle municipality.Petra is Senior Lecturer at Deltion College/ Visual artist, MSc Design Driven Innovation/ Moderator eTwinning group and IVET Community/Blended Coach)
More information about the game Escape Route X can be found here: https://maritotto.nl/escape-route-x/ and here: https://maritotto.nl/2024/10/21/escape-route-x-pilot-project/
Special thanks to my 4 experts by experience via Stichting Voor Elkaar Zwolle and Abdiwahab Ali’s Stichting Samen Omhoog, and Jolan Van de Waeter, Stan Vergeer and Patrick Pelman for thinking along at this stage.
This game was developed by me and artist Mark van Enk in 2011 entitled Flight 050511 for the Liberation Day festival in Zwolle. I then further developed it into a full-fledged board game. With the help of Codename Future, Emiel Sikkema and teacher Wim Hilberdink and his medialogue students at SG Thorbecke Zwolle, I conducted research to optimise the game and make it interesting for a young audience. I then further developed it into what it is today with input from Jolan van de Water, Patrick Pelman, Stan Vergeer and Petra Turan.