The play Under the Shade of a Tree I Sat and Wept, which has so far received outstanding international reviews, will be performed at Black Box Theatre in Oslo on June 12 and 13, 2026, at 7:00 PM, as part of the prestigious Heddadagene Festival, one of Norway’s most important theatre events.

This production features renowned actors Arben Bajraktaraj, Ilire Vinca, and Amernis Nokshiqi, together with a remarkable ensemble of artists from South Africa: Gontse Ntshegang, Kensiwe Tshabalala, Les Made, and Bongile Gorata Lecoge-Zulu. The performance is directed by Blerta Neziraj, with the text written by Jeton Neziraj.

The play focuses on the Blood Feud Reconciliation Movement in Kosovo in 1990 and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa in 1995.

What began as a small reconciliation initiative in Kosovo quickly grew into a nationwide movement. During public gatherings, mothers, fathers, and family members would take the stage before thousands of people and forgive the blood feuds involving their relatives. Throughout this process, dozens of reconciliation assemblies were held, resulting in the forgiveness of 1,275 blood feuds and disputes. More than half a million people attended the final reconciliation gathering at a site known as Verat e Llukës.

International media have highly praised the production. Germany’s Deutschlandfunk Kultur described it as: “An important production... The energy and humor are outstanding... In Under the Shade of a Tree I Sat and Wept, actors from both countries share the stage, yet there is no consensus on who made the greater sacrifices.”

Following its presentation in South Africa in April 2026, the play will continue its European tour throughout 2026 and will be presented in New York in March 2027.