OBJECTIVES

This activity is about reflecting on, sharing and letting go of one’s worries around a bonfire. The goal is to create connections with people around oneself, but also with people in other contexts. By burning one’s worries that are written down on a piece of paper, participants ‘send’ their worries into the air, symbolizing the connectivity to other people and contexts.

NEEDS

Firewood (purchased or collected on site), matches, pieces of paper, pens, a box to collect the papers.

A safe space for making a bonfire. 

STEPS

1. Guide the participants to write their worries on a piece of paper, in their preferred language. They do not have to show the paper to anyone.

2. Collect the papers into a box and cast them into fire as a symbol of ‘letting go' of their worries.

3. Share and reflect on the worries with each other, ensuring that the participants are comfortable doing so. The goal is to have an open dialogue to address difficult issues that the participants worry about, but also to help them deal with them. It is important that trust has been built with the participants before hand, and that there is psychological/social work expertise among the facilitators.