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World Theatre DayAwardsNewsWORLD THEATRE DAY was created in 1961 by the International Theatre Institute (ITI). It was first in Helsinki, and then in Vienna at the 9th World Congress of the ITI in June 1961 that President Arvi Kivimaa proposed on behalf of the Finnish Centre of the International Theatre Institute that a World Theatre Day be instituted. Ever since, each year on the 27th March (date of the opening of the 1962 "Theatre of Nations" season in Paris),
World Theatre Day has been celebrated by ITI National Centres of which there are now almost 100 throughout the world. Various national and international theatre events are organized to mark this occasion.
One of the most important of these is the circulation of the World Theatre Day International Message traditionally written by a theatre personality of world stature.
The first World Theatre Day International Message was written by Jean Cocteau (France) in 1962.
Events taking place to mark WORLD THEATRE DAY include e.g.: International festivals; symposia, colloquia and round table conferences; special awards; theatrical exhibitions; national messages in many countries; articles in the press on theatre and commentaries on the International Message; radio and television programmes on theatre; addresses by eminent national figures; decoration of theatres; popular balls, fairs and parades, etc.
The
International Message for World Theatre Day On ITIs website.
The Finnish translation of the message here.
Every second year in connection with the World Theatre Day celebration, the Finnish Theatre Information Centre awards Illusionist prizes for Finnish theatre people. Further information about Illusionist