DUBAI, 28 March 2005 — Dubai is holding its first International Theater Festival to mark World Theater Day and push the expanding cultural agenda of the UAE.
Inspired by the theme of “Art, Culture and Humanity,” Dubai-based troupe Scenez Group Productions, which recently joined the International Theater Institute (ITI) based in Paris, began yesterday three days of world and local plays, workshops, seminars and forums on the subject of theater.
Dubai often bills itself as the most cosmopolitan city in the Arab world and though now a regional business hub, when it comes to culture it lags behind other Arab cities with a tradition of art, theater and music. Together with ITI, Scenez Productions aims to change this by encouraging increased participation in all aspects of theater in the emirate.
ITI is an organization of theater professionals under the umbrella of UNESCO that calls upon governments to solve political problems by political means and to refrain from using violence. Through theater people around the globe ITI aims to promote mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence.
ITI centers and the global theater community have celebrated World Theater Day annually yesterday since 1962.
Each year a global personality in the theater world delivers a message of peace. The first ever message was given by Jean Cocteau, and this year it will be delivered by French director Arianne Mnouchkine.
