World Theatre Day Celebration

27 March, 2020 in Dhaka City, online programme jointly organized by ITI Bangladesh Centre, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation and Bangladesh Pathanatok Parishad. Due to COVID-19 pandemic situation live programmes were cancelled. International message of Shahid Nadeem, leading Pakistani Playwright was Video recorded by Ms. Ferdousi Majumder, renowned Actress in national language for online distribution. World Theatre Day honour was awarded to Mr. Milan Chowdhury, prominent Actor, Director and Mr. Paresh Acharjee, Actor, Organizer. World Theatre Day national message was delivered by Mr. Nasir Uddin Yousuff, prominent Director and President, ITI, Bangladesh Centre.

Report submitted by:
Debaprosad Debnath
General Secretary
ITI, Bangladesh Centre

Note:
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy : Government Academy for Art and Culture
Bangladesh Pathanatok Parishad: Federative Body of Street Theatre Groups

Theatre discourse
A solo discourse on Tagore’s concept of Dance & its contemporaneity with Dr. Aishika Chakraborty, renowned Choreographer, Director & Associate Professor, School of Women’s Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India was held on 15 March, 2019  in National Theatre, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka. Organized by ITI, Bangladesh Centre, Participants: 85 Dance performers and theatre activists.

World Theatre Day Celebration
27 March, 2019 in Dhaka City, jointly organized by ITI Bangladesh Centre, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation and Bangladesh Pathanatok Parishad. Participation of Theatre activists and Theatre lovers in the World Theatre Day procession with colorful dress, Masks, Placard, Festoons etc. and World Theatre Day Lecture programme, reading of international message of Carlos Celdron, renowened Cuban Director, Playwright and Professor, in National Theatre, Dhaka. World Theatre Day Lecture was delivered by Ms. Shimul Yousuf, prominent Actress, Singer. World Theatre Day honour was awarded to Late Nikhil Sen, prominent Actor and Director. World Theatre Day national message was delivered by Mr. Mamunur Rashid, prominent Actor, Director and Playwright. International Message distributed with flyers with the message in national language and information about ITI. Presentation of Theatre, Dance performances and Theatre songs Folk Songs. Theatre Exhibition was organized. Attendance: 950 persons. World Theatre Day also celebrated in the other major Cities.

International Dance Day Celebration
29 April, 2019 in Dhaka city. Participation of 350 (approx.) dancers and fans in the International Dance day procession with colorful costumes and properties. In celebration of this day Seminar and Dance Festival was organized.

International Theatre Festival
Theatre Festival titled ‘Bangladesh International Theatre Festival 2019’, organized by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs in association with Bangladesh Centre of the International Theatre Institute and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Co-operation by Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation has created an unprecedented enthusiasm among theatre lovers and activists of the country. Festival was organized from 20-26 June, 2019 in National Theatre, Dhaka, Bangladesh. 7 Theatre performances from France, Russia, China, Vietnam, India, Nepal and Bangladesh, 4 special bulletins were published and a Seminar titled ‘Meeting and Transmitting of the International, National and Sub-altern in the Theatre Space’ was organized during the Festival.

World Theatre Day Celebration
27 March, 2018 in Dhaka City, jointly organized by ITI, Bangladesh Centre, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation and Bangladesh Pathanatak Parishad. The day was celebrated with various programmes such as : Theatre day procession with colorful Dress, Masks, Placard, Festoons etc. World Theatre Day Lecture programme, reading of international message of 5 renowned personalities from 5 Regions of the World, i,e, 1. Mr. Ram Gopal Bajaj, prominent Actor and Director, India- from Asia Pacific Region 

Ms. Maya Zabib, prominent Actress and Director of Lebanon, from Arab Region 3. Simon McBurney, Playwright, Actor of UK, from Europe Region 4. Ms. Sabina Berman, Mexican Playwright and Journalist, from America Region 5. Ms. Winer…., Writer, Painter, Actress and director of Ivory Coast, from Africa Region. Cultural programme in National Thetare , Dhaka. World Theatre Day Lecture was delivered by Mr. Asaduzzaman Noor, prominent Actor, Director and Minister, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, GOB. World Theatre Day honour was awarded to Mr. Shyamal Bhatyacharia, prominent Actor and Director. World Theatre Day national message was delivered by Mr. Ramendu Majumder, prominent Actor, organizer and honorary President World ITI. International and National Message was distributed with flyers with the message in national language and information about ITI. World Theatre Day was also celebrated in the major cities.

International Dance Day Celebration
29 April, 2018 in Dhaka city. Participation of 320 (approx.) dancers and fans in the International Dance day procession with colorful costumes and properties. In celebration of this day Seminar and Dance Festival was organized.

Theatre Discourse on “Nabanritya-Gender, Body and Culture”
October 04, 2018 in Studio Theatre, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Dhaka. Organized by ITI, Bangladesh Centre and supported by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. Resource person: Dr. Aishika Chakraborty, renowned Choreographer, Director & Associate Professor, School of Women’s Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India. Participants: 150 Dance performers and theatre activists.

‘2018: 70 Years of ITI’ Celebration
Exhibition titled “Looking Back:1981-2018” was inaugurated on 1 November, 2018 by Mr. Asaduzamman Noor, Minister for Cultural Affairs, People’s Republic of Bangladesh. As part of 3 days programme this exhibition was organized in the lobby of National Theatre to exhibit the national and international activities of Bangladesh ITI.

To celebrate 70 years of ITI 3 days long Theatre Festival  was organized by ITI, Bangladesh Centre in  the National Theatre, Dhaka, Bangladesh, supported by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy and Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation. Mr. Asaduzzaman Noor, Cultural Minister and Mr. Ramendu Majumdar, Honorary President of ITI, Worldwide were present as Chief Guest and Special Guest respectively in the opening ceremony of the Festival. Dance drama, Folk plays and scenes from 5 popular plays were also performed by 5 Theatre Groups.

During Festival Theatre Discourse on “My Theatre Journey’’ was organized in the Seminar Hall, National Theatre.  Veteran Indian actor-director Mr. Bibhas Chakraborty was invited for this discourse.

World Theatre Day Celebration
World Theatre Day was celebrated on 27 March, 2017 in Dhaka City, jointly organized by ITI, Bangladesh Centre, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation and Bangladesh Pathanatak Parishad. The day was celebrated with various programmes such as : Theatre day procession with colorful Dress, Masks, Placard, Festoons etc. World Theatre Day Lecture programme, reading of international message of French Film and Stage Actress Isabelle Huppert and cultural programme in National Thetare , Dhaka. World Theatre Day Lecture was delivered by Dr. Enamul Haque, prominent Actor. World Theatre Day honour was awarded to Late Md. Mijarul Quayes, Diplomat and cultural activist. World Theatre Day national message was delivered by Mr. Ataur Rahman, prominent actor and director. International and National Message were distributed with flyers with the message in national language and information about ITI. World Theatre Day was also celebrated in the major cities.

International Dance Day Celebration
29 April, 2017 in Dhaka city. Participation of 290 (approx.) dancers and fans in the International Dance day procession with colorful costumes and properties. In celebration of this day Seminarand Dance Festival was organized.

World of Theatre
Publication of the 2017 Edition of the ‘World of Theatre’ before the Spain Congress.

Editors:
Ramendu Majumder and Mofidul Haque.

World Congress
July 17-22, 2017
35th ITI World Congress in Segovia, Spain. Congress Slogan ‘Performing Arts Transforming the World’. A 12 member delegation of Bangladesh comprising of Ramendu Majumdar, Prof. Abdus Selim, Nasir Uddin Yousuff, Shimul Yousuf, Jhuna Chowdhury, Ahmed Iqbal Haidar, Babul Biswas, Dr. Israfil Shahin, Humayun Kabir Himu, Dr. Irin Parven Lopa, Sadhana Ahmed & Esha Yousuf participated in the Congress.

Sayek Siddiqui participates in a program titled ‘Congress Prologue (Workshop, Student Festival, Presentations and Round Tables)’ organized for young artists from 14-16 July, 2017. Sayek performs short plays based on folk tales from Mymensingh on 21 July, 2017 which gets much appreciation. Dr. Israfil Shahin participates in the Workshop titled ‘Ethnographic Sensibility for Acting’ as Trainer.

ITI forms 5 Committees i,e 1. Artistic 2. Educational 3. Humanitarian 4. Research, Documentation and Promotion 5. Collaboration project. Elected office bearers from Bangladesh delegation: Dr. Irin Parven Lopa (Board Member, International Monodrama Forum), Prof. Abdus Selim and Sadhana Ahmed (Board Members, International Playwrights’ Forum), Sayek Siddiqui (Board member, Network of Emerging Arts Professionals Committee), Prof. Abdus Selim (Board member, Traditional Performing Arts Forum), Prof. Shafi Ahmed and Dr. Israfil Shahin (Board Members, Forum Theatre Training & Education Committee), Prof. Abdus Selim (Board Member, Action Committee for Artist Rights Committee), Nasir Uddin Yousuff (Board member, Network for Heritage, Indigenous Cultures & Migration Committee), Ramendu Majumder – Honorary President, Mofidul Haque- Member, Babul Biswas-Board Secretary (ITI Publication Committee).

World Theatre Day Celebration
27 March, 2016 in Dhaka City, jointly organized by ITI Bangladesh Centre, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation and Bangladesh Pathanatok Parishad. The day was celebrated with various programmes such as : Theatre Day procession with colourful dress, Masks, Placard, Festoons etc.; World Theatre Day Lecture programme, reading of international message and Cultural Programme in National Theatre, Dhaka. International Message was distributed with flyers with the message in national language and information about ITI. Attendance: 1000 persons (approx.). World Theatre Day also celebrated in the other major Cities.

International Dance Day 2016 Celebration
29 April, 2016 in Dhaka City.  Participation of 270 (approx.) dancers and fans in the International Dance Day procession with colorful costumes and properties. In celebration of this day Seminar and Dance Festival was organized from 23-29 April, 2015.

Monodrama Festival, 2016
Theatre Festival titled “2nd Dhaka Monodrama Festival, 2016” from 08-15 December, 2016 in National Theatre, Dhaka. Cultural performances in the opening ceremony and 11 Monodrama performances from Bangladesh, China, Vietnam and India. Festival inaugurated by Mr. Asaduzzamam Noor MP, Honorable Minister, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.