Israel's Association for Circus Arts has announced Climbing the Walls, a three-day conference in Akko, Israel that sounds as though it will operate a little like the London International Youth Circus Festival, bringing together youth groups from different countries and cultures – Arabs, Jews, Ethiopians, Russians, Druze, Christians, youth at risk, Israeli and overseas groups – to meet and interact through the medium of circus arts.
This is the first edition of the festival but the Association and its partners are hoping to make it a yearly event. For now they're looking for individuals who might be willing to come to Akko (one of Israel's oldest cities) to teach and to facilitate. There are no funds to pay those who volunteer their time, but it's an initiative worth supporting.
The convention will run 19-21 July 2011. For more information see the Israel Circus School website or e-mail ilcircus@gmail.com