Theater promotes cultural Diplomacy

Fadjr International Theater Festival has always been a good opportunity to expand cultural communication with artists and people around the world. A Communication that breaks down language and other human barriers and creates empathy through the exchange of ideas, information, art. Theater can be a powerful tool to promote cultural diplomacy . Theater serve as powerful tools in diplomacy and international relations, facilitating cross-cultural understanding and cooperation. The art has a strong and undeniable role not only in improving cultural diplomatic relations, but also in improving economic, political and social relations.

In the last two years,  Dramatic Arts  Center  has paid more  attention to the importance of cultural diplomacy and has made efforts more than ever to establish cultural relations with other countries, especially the bordering countries, and therefore, They have invited foreign artists to Iran, sent Iranian artists to other countries to expand cultural-artistic relations and bridge nations through creativity.

Indigenous culture; Global communication

The importance of indigenous and Iranian culture will be effective in promoting Iranian culture internationally in the coming years. Because the playwrights and directors were warmly welcomed during the last two editions of Fadjr International Theater Festival. Regardless of Iranian artists who choose world-famous plays, it will promote the indigenization of the show and performance methods of Iranian theater at the international level, and will strengthen cultural diplomacy based on indigenization for more communication.

Invitation for international artists

Invitation for international artists and theaters will never stop at the Fadjr International Theater Festival and the other theater events.

The theater troupe "Only a Portrait" directed by Uday Shafri from Oman, "Halves" by Motamed Yafee from Oman, "Black Box" directed by Majed Darandish from Iraq and "Martyrs do not go to heaven" directed by Sajjad Jozri from Iraq was honored  at 2023 Mystics International (Sahebdelan) Theater Festival. Some International theater troupes participated in the 19th Tehran-Mubarak Puppet Festival and the 21st International Ritual and Traditional Festival as well.

Educational and research approach in international relations

The international relations of the General Directorate of Dramatic Arts improves in the 42nd Fadjr International Theater Festival with the holding workshops with international expert and drama groups. Education and training of performance theories is one of the other programs of the General Directorate of Dramatic Arts as the cultural diplomacy. The educational approach of the 42nd Fadjr Theater Festival continued to enrich the educational environment for cultural exchange and diplomacy. The educational workshops of the 42nd Fadjr International Theater Festival were held from 17 January to 31 January at the Karghah Namayesh , City Theater Complex: "Form-Movement" by Hayek Esrafilian from Armenia, Comparison of Grotowski's and Chekhov's acting methods" by Armen Sarkissian from Armenia, "Role and place of chorus in classical Greek plays" by Thanassis Sarantos from Greece.

 Two American researchers participated in the seminar  sections of FITF. An effort was made in the research department to put more emphasis on the role of research and performance studies by holding research workshops. Marvin A. Carlson and Bruce McConachie, two American researchers, participated in the research section of the 42nd Fadjr International Theater Festival. Carlson and  McConachie  represented two studies, "Performance Studies and Decentralization of Dramatic works" and "Evolutionary and Cognitive Perspective on Enjoying International Theater Festivals".

. Education, Research and Namayesh Publications Office held a webinar on dramaturgy with support of City Theater Complex on Wednesday, November 22,2023. A webinar on dramaturgy was held online with Michael Mark Chemers. He spoke considering the new developments in theater and performance, especially the developments related to digital technology.

Theater ambassadors

One of the rules is the meeting of the director general of Dramatic arts with foreign groups and artistic ambassadors of different countries which can facilitate cultural exchange and cooperation between nations in years and during festival days. Foreign guests and the increase of international relations have contributed in the field of tourism and attracting cultural-artistic tourists, as well as the economic growth of countries and national security.

And bilateral relations that are accompanied by cultural and artistic exchange can bring a promising perspective in the time.

Iranian artists have also went to other countries and their  festivals with the cooperation of international relation department of Dramatic art center of Iran in last year.  One of the best example is the Iranian play "Tik Tok" directed by Ahmad Nadafi was staged at the Lahore Theater Festival in Pakistan or

The role of media in cultural diplomacy

The news media that focus on delivering news to the general public and world is really important. English paper and online newsletter "Voice of Iranian Theaters aims to create a bridge with the artists of other countries. It publishes the country's theater news monthly for the whole world and international ITI centers under the supervision of the General Department of Dramatic Arts. Meetings, events and expert webinars have been held during the last year, but the support of other public and private organizations is needed in order to achieve the goal of cultural-artistic diplomacy with the help of theater.

Theater  as a culture diplomacy is definitely the best language and way of communication to achieve peace in the midst of chaos and tensions in the world.