35th ITI World Congress in Segovia, Spain : 17 to 22 July 2017

Every two to three years the members of members of the International Theatre Institute meet at the ITI World Congress, in a different city, on the invitation of the Centre of the country. The hosting Centre invites delegates of the members of ITI – the Centres and the Cooperating Members. Members of the ITI/UNESCO Network for Higher Education in the Performing Arts, theatre, dance, circus and music partner organizations of ITI, performing artists, educators and trainers, politicians, World Theatre Ambassadors as well as leaders of UNESCO, the UN and other international organizations are welcome to attend the Congress – any persons related with the performing arts and/or ITI may be invited as guests or as observers to the Congress. 

From 14 to 22 July 2017 Segovia in Spain will be the world capital for the performing arts in holding the 35th ITI World Congress. During a three-day Congress Prologue students are presenting the work at the Student Festival (14 to 16 July). During the main Congress (17 to 22 July), the delegates of ITI are discussing, coordinating and planning the next period of ITI, choosing their leaders, accepting the future plans and setting an accent on what is most important for the development of their organization. A multitude of workshops, presentations, keynote speeches and performances are enriching the Congress for all participants. Part of the Congress is the International Dance Symposium, intended to strengthen dance in ITI. An Open Space is dedicated to the artistic nature of ITI. An ITI Centres Speed Dating should bring the main members of ITI, the Centres, in close collaboration all over the world. A strong accent has been set on Young Practitioners. All the Congress partners are working together to make this event a most memorable event. 


Tobias Biancone, Director General ITI

 

ITI World Congress

Congress Goals

These are the goals that were formulated by the Executive Council for the 35th ITI World Congress:

  • Make performing arts work as a catalyst for positive change around the world;
  • Gather ITI members for cross-cultural cooperation and understanding;
  • Celebrate performing arts traditions and innovations;
  • Enrich the participants‘ knowledge;
  • Fortify and expand the ITI Network and deepen the communication between ITI members;
  • Increase the presence of dance within ITI by organizing a Dance Symposium.
  • Bring new active members to the Congress.
  • Attract the largest ever number of young practitioners to the Congress – to rejuvenate and strengthen ITI.

 

Theme of the Congress
Act! Performing Arts Transforming the World

Since 2011, ITI World Congresses have consisted of four parts: 

  • The Artistic Part of the Congress: This contains local and international performances, international collaboration performances (sometimes submitted by committees), student performances, micro-performances (for example by young practitioners) and similar events. Keynote speeches, artistic work presentations, and panels or open spaces around artistic themes are other forms that focus on artistic goals and are included in the Artistic Part of the Congress.
  • The Educational Part of the Congress: This contains workshops, masterclasses, seminars and similar forms of didacticism. Keynote speeches, discussions and presentations with educational content belong in the Educational Part of the Congress.
  • The Humanistic Part of the Congress: This contains everything that focusses on human issues such as workshops, discussions and presentations about artist’s rights, theatre in conflict zones, social change and development, performing arts as a tool to evaluate climate change and other humanistic issues. Keynote speeches about these themes belong to the Humanistic Part of the Congress.
  • The Statutory and Communication Part of the Congress: Statutory refers to those issues the Charter asks the members of ITI to do: General Assembly, meetings of Committees (Networks, Forums and Groups), meetings of Regional Councils and sessions of the Executive Council. Communication denotes other activities that are not part of the Charter but are necessary for development of ITI: for this Congress, scheduled events that fall under the communication heading include “ITI Centres Speed Dating”, “Open Space” and the “Congress Orientation” (with information about the Congress and where each Committee, Network, Forum and Project Group can present itself.)