In places where resources are scarce, laughter can be abundant. Clowns Without Borders (CWB) brings small teams of professional artists to perform in refugee camps, conflict zones, and sites of a natural disaster.In 1993, a letter from Croatian refugees to Spanish clown Tortell Pontrona sparked engagement. “You know what we miss most? We miss laughter.” From there, CWB was born. Since then, it has grown to an international NGO, with chapters in 14 countries, reaching over 400,000 displaced children a year.

Our work takes us to the beaches of Lesvos, Greece, the hills of rural El Salvador, the deserts of South Sudan. Though the audience changes, the result is the same. An invitation to play is sometimes all that is needed to help recapture a sense of childhood. We are reminded time and time again, that we all laugh in the same language.

Like laughter, our impact ripples outward, energizing children and the adults who care for them. In a world often divided and stark, Clowns Without Borders proudly co-creates and collaborates cross-culturally.

Come learn about how laughter creates community and builds resilience.