World Theater Day launched in the Philippines this week
THE PHILIPPINE CENTER of International Theater Institute/ Earthsavers Unesco Dream Center spearheads the celebration of World Theater Week and the golden anniversary celebration of the World Theater Day, which will be launched in the Philippines on March 5 to 9. This is in cooperation with different agencies including the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Department of Education, Department of Tourism, Department of Foreign Affairs and the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino.
World Theater Day is celebrated since 1961, one of Unesco’s International Theater Institute’s major activities, on March 27 marked by various international theater events. In 2007, a proclamation was signed declaring March 22 to 27 as UnescoITI World Theater Week and calling for its observance. Proclamation 1262 is said to be applauded in a Unesco forum in Paris because it gives importance to culture as an essential ingredient for peace and sustainable development.
The Philippines was selected as the launch site for the 50th celebration of World Theater Day, which will culminate in Paris, France, in accordance to a resolution in Xiamen, China, approved by Unesco-iti and affirmed by Unesco Director General Dr. Irina Bokova.
The event will be attended by highlevel international guests, including Dr. Hubert Gijzen, director of Unesco Office in Jakarta, and Tobias Biancone, ITI director general, among others. There will also be cultural caregiving activities in prisons, Gawad Kalinga and PUP with synergy involving the differently-abled, healing workshop in Mindanao for armed conflict and ecodisasters.
The highlight of the World Theater Day celebration is the World Theater Day message. This year, chosen to make the message is renowned Ameri- can actor, producer, screenwriter and director John Malkovich. The message will be translated into 50 languages and 10 Asean languages by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino and Asean colleagues through Unesco-iti network.
For more details, contact NCCA Public Affairs and Information Office head Rene Sanchez Napenas at (632) 5272192 or 0928-5081057. Log on to www.ncca.gov.ph or e-mail at ncca.paio@gmail.com.