ITI UNESCO World Congress

Celebration of Art and Culture

Every 2 or 3 years ITI organizes, in collaboration with an ITI Center and a chosen city, a main event: the ITI World Congress. It is a meeting of ITI members from all continents.

Since its creation, 35 ITI World Congresses have been held. The last one was presented by the Spanish Center in Segovia, Spain, in 2017.

Link for the ITI World Congress website

The ITI World Congress has four parts:

1) The artistic part with performances (local and international), international collaboration projects

2) The educational part with presentations, workshops, master classes, seminars, conferences, round tables, etc.

3) The humanistic part with workshops and presentations, and community projects

4) The statutory part with the General Assembly, committee meetings, networks, forums and project groups.

ITI World Congress

ITI World Congresses have been held all over the world: the founding Congress took place in Prague in 1948. Since then, the Congress has been held 26 times in Europe, 4 times in Asia-Pacific and 5 times in the AmericasIt began as an annual event, then became biennial, and most recently is held every three years.

Each Congress is organised by the local Host Centre, the ITI (General Secretariat assisted by the Executive Council and a working group) and sometimes with the support of the host municipality and other additional organisations.

The ITI World Congress is aimed at ITI members and performing arts professionals. To date, a registration fee has never been required.

ITI World Congresses 1948-2017

1948 Prague, Czechoslovakia, now Czech Republic
1949 Zurich, Switzerland
1951 Paris, France
1952 Oslo, Norway
1953 The Hague, The Netherlands
1955 Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, now Croatia
1959 Athens, Greece
1960 Helsinki, Finland
1961 Vienna, Austria
1963 Warsaw, Poland
1965 Tel Aviv, Israel
1967 New York, USA
1969 Budapest, Hungary
1971 London, United Kingdom
1973 Moscow, USSR, now Russia
1975 Berlin West, Germany FR, now Germany
1977 Stockholm, Sweden
1979 Sofia, Bulgaria
1981 Madrid, Spain
1983 Berlin, German DR, now Germany
1985 Montreal & Toronto, Canada
1987 Havana, Cuba
1989 Helsinki, Finland
1991 Istanbul, Turkey
1993 Munich, Germany
1995 Caracas, Venezuela
1997 Seoul, Korea Republic
2000 Marseille, France
2002 Athens, Greece
2004 Tampico, Mexico
2006 Manila, Philippines
2008 Madrid, Spain
2011 Xiamen, China
2014 Yerevan, Armenia
2017 Segovia, Spain

Mission, Vision & Goals

01 Mission

El International Theatre Institute (ITI), the world's largest performing arts organization, was founded in 1948 by experts in theatre and dance together with the UNESCO. Its aim is to foster a society in which the performing arts and their artists thrive and flourish. ITI promotes UNESCO's principles on the mutual understanding and peace, defending the protection and promotion of cultural expression without distinction of age, gender, creed or ethnicity. To achieve these ends, it works internationally and nationally in the areas of performing arts education, international exchange and collaboration, as well as youth training.

VISION

El International Theatre Institute (ITI) Imagine a world where the importance of people is valued and recognized. performing arts.

A world where performing artists can work and present their creative ideas before the public.
A world in which the local, regional and national authorities, as well as sponsors and donors, invest in the performing arts and finance organizations, institutions and artists in the fields of theatre, dance and musical theatre in all its forms.
A world in which education in the techniques of performing arts and related disciplines is present in all educational levels, from primary school to university.
A world in which the performing arts, especially theatre, are used in communities, for social development, mutual understanding and peace building, both in conflict zones and around the world.
A world where the diverse cultures and artistic expressions, fostering innovation.

02 VISION

03 OBJECTIVES

The purpose of International Theatre Institute (ITI) is to promote the International exchange of knowledge and practices in the theatre arts to consolidate the peace and friendship among peoples, deepen the mutual understanding and encourage the creative cooperation in the field of performing arts. To achieve this, the ITI is committed to:

Promote activities and creation in the field of live performing artsIncluding theatre, dance and musical theatre.
Expand existing collaboration between performing arts disciplines and organizations at the national level National and international.
Establish international offices and promote the creation of ITI National Centres In all countries.
Collect documents, disseminate information and publish materials on the performing arts.
Actively cooperate in the development of «Theatre of Nations» festival and promote the organization of theatre congresses, workshops, expert meetings, festivals, exhibitions and competitions at regional and interregional levels, in collaboration with its members.
defend the free development of the performing arts and contribute to the Protection of the rights of professionals in the sector.

world meeting

The last edition of the ITI World Congress took place in Segovia, Spain. Organized by the Spanish Delegation of the International Theater Institute/UNESCO. It took place from July 14 to 16, 2017.

The prelude to the Congress consisted of the Student Festival of the ITI/UNESCO Network for Higher Education in the Performing Arts.

The ITI World Congress sessions were held from Monday to Saturday, from July 17 to July 22, 2017.

During the Congress, the 5th International Dance Symposium (co-organized by the ITI International Dance Committee and the Spanish Center) was also held from Tuesday to Thursday, July 18 to July 20.

Report of the Director General of the ITI on the 35th Congress

Learn more 35th Congress

In 2017, the World Congress was held in Segovia, Spain, hosted by the Spanish Delegation of ITI UNESCO.

Artistic Galas 35th Congress

In the context of 35th ITI UNESCO World Congress, the companies Alicia Alonso Foundation Ballet, The Cirque Dance and the international guests invited by the Spanish Delegation of ITI UNESCO, whose headquarters are located in the Alicia Alonso University Institute of Dance, will participate in the event.