World Theatre Day is annually observed across the globe on 27 March to promote theatre in all its forms across the world. The Day highlights the intrinsic value of theatre as an art form.
- World Theatre Day 2024 observed on 27th March 2024 marks the 62nd anniversary the observance.
The Day has been annually celebrated by the International Theatre Institute (ITI) Centres and the international theatre community.
Goals of World Theatre Day:
- To promote the art form globally.
- To raise public awareness about the value of the art form.
- To enable the dance and theatre communities to garner support from opinion leaders
- To enjoy the art form for its own sake.
Background:
i.World Theatre Day was established in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI), the world organisation for the performing arts.
ii.The 1st World Theatre Day was observed on 27 March 1962, the date of the opening of the “Theatre of Nations” season in Paris, France.
World Theatre Day Message:
i.An integral part of the celebration is the circulation of the World Theatre Day Message, which reflects on the theme of Theatre and a Culture of Peace, is penned by a renowned figure each year.
ii.Every year the Executive Council of ITI chooses an outstanding theatre personality to write the message for World Theatre Day.
iii.The Message is translated into over 50 languages and shared with audiences globally.
Note: French writer, playwright, and director Jean Cocteau wrote the inaugural World Theatre Day Message in 1962.
2024 Message:
Norwegian novelist and playwright, Jon Fosse authored the World Theatre Day Message 2024, titled “Art is Peace“.
- He won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Literature “for his innovative plays and prose which give voice to the unsayable”.
2024 Events:
i.World Theatre Day 2024 celebration is taking place from 27th to 29th March 2024 in Langfang, China.
ii.The event is jointly organised by the ITI and the Chinese Theatre Association (CTA), hosted by the “Langfang Silk Road International Arts Center”, with the support of the Langfang Municipality.
37th ITI World Congress:
i.The 37th ITI World Congress 2024 will happen in 2 cities from 18 to 23 September 2024, in Antwerp (the Flemish Part of Belgium) and Den Bosch (the Netherlands).
ii.This event is set to make history as the first-ever Congress spanning 2 dynamic countries.
iii.The theme of 37th ITI World Congress is “Embrace and Connect”.
Note: The 36th ITI World Congress 2023 was held from 20 – 25 February 2023, in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
About International Theatre Institute (ITI):
ITI was created on the initiative of the 1st United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Director General, Sir Julian Huxley, and British playwright and novelist JB Priestly, in 1948.
President– Mohammed Saif AL-AFKHAM (Fujairah, UAE)
Headquarters– Shanghai, China
