Mission

The International Theatre Institute ITI, the world’s largest performing arts organization founded in 1948 by theatre and dance experts and UNESCO, strives for a society in which the performing arts and their artists thrive and flourish. ITI advances UNESCO’s goals of mutual understanding and peace and advocates the protection and promotion of cultural expression, regardless of age, gender, creed, or ethnicity. It works to these ends internationally and nationally in the areas of performing arts education, international exchange and collaboration, and youth training.

Vision

The International Theatre Institute ITI envisions a world that puts strong value and importance on the Performing Arts.

• It is a world in which performing artists are able to work and present their creative ideas to the audiences.


• It is a world in which local, regional, and national authorities, as well as sponsors and donors, invest in the Performing Arts and fund organizations, institutions, and artists in the fields of theatre, dance, and music theatre in all their diverse forms.
• It is a world in which education in the techniques of the Performing Arts and related subjects are offered on all levels of education â€?from primary to high school and university.


• It is a world in which the Performing Arts â€?especially theatre â€?are used in communities, for development, for mutual understanding and for building peace in conflict zones and all over the world.


• It is a world in which the diverse cultures and expressions are safeguarded and innovation is promoted.

Goals

The purpose of the International Theatre Institute ITI is to promote the international exchange of knowledge and practice in the performing arts (theatre, drama, dance and music theatre in all their forms) in order to consolidate peace and friendship between peoples, to deepen mutual understanding, and increase creative cooperation between all people in the performing arts. To achieve this purpose, ITI shall, inter alia:

• Encourage sustainable activities and creation in the field of the live performing arts (theatre, drama, dance and music theatre, in all their forms);


• Aim at an enlargement of the existing collaboration between performing arts disciplines and organizations, both national and international;


• Establish international offices and foster the establishment of National Centres of ITI in all countries;


• Collect documents, disseminate all types of information and issue publications in the realm of the performing arts;


• Cooperate actively with its members, in the development, coordination on organization of performing arts festivals, conferences, congresses, show cases, expert meetings, exhibitions, competitions and special events such as Theatre of Nations, World Theatre Day Celebrations, International Dance Day Celebrations, etc., on national, regional, interregional and international levels;


• Defend the free development of the performing arts and contribute to the protection of the rights of performing arts professionals.


• To achieve this within ITI the members shall be guided by the principles of mutual respect, of dignifying the cultural traditions of all countries and of diversity and similar issues, as formulated in the Rules and Guidelines for Ethics and Conflict Resolution.