Who Is She

Personal information

Executive Director, Drama Therapist, Clinical Psychologist, Professional Corporate Trainer
Zeina Daccache

What I have done for Lebanon

  • Introducing in 2007 Theatre in Lebanese Prisons and sustaining it till today. The actors are the inmates. The spectators are the wide audience.
  • Pushing the government in 2009 to start implementing Law number 463 of the penal code published in 2002 but never implemented. Prisoners today are able to apply for a reduction of their sentences based on good behavior.
  • In 2015, the Cancellation of circular number 1778 issued in 2014, stating that MDWs  not allowed to have romantic relationships on the Lebanese territory.
  • In 2016, Submission of two draft laws to the Lebanese Parliament aiming for a suitable Legislation for Mentally ill Inmates & Inmates Sentenced to Life.

Contact information / Private

Contact information / Work

Catharsis - Lebanese Center for Drama Therapy
Sarba, Kaslik Street, KBC Center, 3rd Floor
Lebanon
Phone: 
914932 9 961
Fax: 
914932 9 961

Education

Education: 
  • Board Certified Trainer with the North American Drama Therapy Association – 2017, NADTA, USA
  • Registered Drama Therapist with the North American Drama Therapy Association – 2011, NADTA, USA
  • Master's degree, Clinical Psychology, 2011, Haigazian University, Lebanon.
  • Graduate studies in Drama Therapy, 2006 - 2007, Kansas State University, United States of America.
  • Nominee and selected to benefit from the American Fulbright Master degree scholarship
  • Acting school, October 2000 - June 2001, Ecole Philippe Gaulier (International Drama School), England.
  • Bachelor degree, Scenic and Dramatic Art (completed with honors), July 2000, Institute of Scenic Audiovisual and Cinematography Studies, Saint - Joseph University, Lebanon.

Areas of expertise

Expertise: 
  • Activism
  • Drama Therapy
  • Education
  • Vulnerable Groups
Languages: 
  • Arabic
  • English
  • French
  • Italian

Work history

Jobs: 
  • Founder, Executive Director and Drama Therapist, 2007 - present, Catharsis - Lebanese Center for Drama Therapy.
  • Drama Therapist, Project and Play director of the following pioneering advocacy theatre projects (Produced by Catharsis):
  1. Johar Up in the Air, 2015-2016.
  2. Shebaik Lebaik, 2014-2015.
  3. From the Bottom of My Brain, 2011-2012-2013.
  4. Scheherazade in Baabda, 2012. 
  5. 12 Angry Lebanese – the play, 2009.
  6. 12 Angry Men, 2004
  7. 12 Angry Lebanese – the documentary.
  • Drama Therapist at Catharsis private practice and Professional Trainer at International and local Corporates (Air France, Roche Pharma, Boehringer Ingelheim, Algorithm SAL, Booz Allen, Touch, Souk El Tayeb, etc.) For individuals and groups who desire to 
  • University Professor (2008-Present) : At the Occupational therapy department at the Lebanese University – Hadath (2017-2018)/ At the Holy Family University, Batroun (2018)/ At the Lebanese University- Zahle (2008 to 2011) / At the Masters in Psychosocial Support (launched by IOM) at the Lebanese University –Hadath / At the alternative training in drama therapy offered by Catharsis.
  • Lecturer at International Conferences, Drama Therapy and Art therapy Conferences  (2007- Present): UNESCO youth volunteering & dialogue in France, North American Drama Therapy Association annual conferences in USA, Art as Witness conference at Concordia University, Canada, Nuqat conference in Kuwait, etc.
  • Freelance drama therapist for NGOs, schools, universities and International Organizations in the region (2006  -Present): IOM, Assabil, Dar El Amal NGO, Abaad NGO, Hajj Baha’ El Din Al Hariri School-Saida, AUB public health department, Grand Lycee, Al Jana NGO, Al Masar NGO, Lebanese Red Cross, SSCC school, René Moawad Foundation, ATTC, Rikesteatern (Sweeden), etc. And / or working directly with beneficiaries (for example Syrians residing in Tripoli from 2012 to 2015)

 

Honorary office and memberships

  • Executive Director of Catharsis - Lebanese Center for Drama Therapy, 2007 - present.

Productions

Publications highlights: 
  • Daccache, Z. 12 Angry Lebanese-the Play [DVD]. Lebanon.
  • Daccache, Z. 12 Angry Lebanese-the soundtrack [CD]. Lebanon.
  • Daccache, Z. 12 Angry Lebanese – the documentary [DVD]. Lebanon. Also available on Itunes store and Googleplay.
  • Daccache, Z. Scheherazade in Baabda [DVD]. Lebanon.
  • Daccache, Z. Scheherazade’s Diary [DVD]. Lebanon. Also available on Itunes stor and Googleplay.
  • Daccache, Z. From the Bottom of my Brain (the play interpreted by the residents of Al Fanar psychiatric Hospital) [DVD]. Lebanon.
  • Daccache, Z. Shebaik Lebaik (the play interpreted by migrant domestic workers) [DVD]. Lebanon.
  • Daccache, Z. Johar Up in the Air (the play interpreted by inmates in Roumieh Prison, including inmates suffering from Mental illness) [DVD]. Lebanon.
  • Author of the Chapter “The Unheard Stories of Those Forgotten Behind Bars in Lebanon” in the book The Self in Performance, Autobiographical, Self-Revelatory, and Autoethnographic Forms of Therapeutic Theatre. Pendzik,S. Emunah, R & Johnson, D (2016).  The Self in Performance. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Author of the Chapter “The Unheard Stories of Those Forgotten Behind Bars in Lebanon”, in the Spanish book Dramaterapia, teoria y practica, Schuchner, G. & Ferrandis, D (2017). Buenos Aires: Letra Viva.
  • Author of the Chapter “12 Angry Lebanese in Roumieh Prison” in the book Doomed by Hope: Essays on Arab Theatre, Houssami, E (2012). Beirut: Dar Al Saqi.
Major achievements: 
  • Undertaking the drama Therapy Project (Drama Therapy in Prison-A new artistic platform), a project of Catharsis-LCDT inside Roumieh prison, with funding from the Italian Development Cooperation Office/Embassy of Italy in Beirut in the framework of ROSS Emergency program, 2009 - 2010, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities and the Ministry of Justice.
  • Directing the play 12 Angry Lebanese performed by 40 inmates at the Roumieh prison, a project adopted by the Association for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms, 2008 - 2009, a project in the framework of Afkar 2 program, financed by the EU and Managed by OMSAR, in collaboration with the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities and the Ministry of Justice.
  • Directing the following films: 12 Angry Lebanese-the documentary (2009), and "Any", (2007).

Awards and Distinctions

Distinctions: 

Honored by Gebran Tueni Foundation for the work achieved in prisons. Sept, 2012.

Honored by YWCA for directing and managing the theatre project 12 Angry Lebanese inside Roumieh Prison, 2009.

 

Awards: 
  • The Documentaries 12 Angry Lebanese and Scheherazade’s Diary won many Awards at International Festivals since 2009 up till present (8 awards for 12 Angry Lebanese and 10 Awards for Scheherazade’s Diary)

  • Winner of the Arts & Culture 2018 Lebanon Impact Award – Hult Prize (that aims to recognize the country’s top Impact leaders).
  • Winner of the International Gramsci Award for theatre in Prison, Italy, Dec 2016.
  • Recipient of the Performance Award from NADTA in 2012 (North American Drama Therapy Association), in recognition of the exemplary use of live or recorded performance to facilitate individual or collective awareness and transformation.
  • The Graduate Student Research Award, 2011. Given by the Drama Therapy Fund-USA, for my thesis on Drama Therapy in Lebanese Prisons.

  • Medal of the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities for directing and managing the theatre project 12 Angry Lebanese inside Roumieh Prison, 2009.
  • An-Nahar Woman of the year Award, 2009.
  • And several other awards for her work in drama therapy