Zimbabwe attends ITI world congress

Theatre Congress of the organisation, which was held in Xiamen, China from the 19th to 24th September.
The national co-ordinator of the ITI (Zimbabwe Centre), Lloyd Nyikadzino, attended the World Theatre Congress where he was elected to one of nine committees of the organisation, Young Practitioners’ Committee which is “committed to creating a network of support for mid-career artists and cultural leaders”.
The organisations other committees include Music Theatre Committee, International Monodrama Committee, Theatre Education and Training Committee, International Playwrights Forum, International Festival Forum, International Dance Committee, Cultural Identity and Development Committee and New Project Group.
The World Theatre Congress was held under the theme “Empowering the performing arts.”
Zimbabwe became a fully-fledged member of the world organisation for theatre professionals, which is under the umbrella of Unesco when she paid her membership subscription in May.
Nyikadzino’s attendance of the World Congress was made possible by funding from the Executive Board of the organisation.
In his report about the world congress to the Steering Committee of the ITI (Zimbabwe Centre) Nyikadzino indicated that Zimbabwe was among the eight countries which were welcomed in Xiamen as new members of the organisation.
The other member countries were Brazil, Dominican Republic, Luxembourg, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Serbia.
Concerning the benefits of participating in the World Theatre Congress Nyikadzino stated: “Being in Xiamen was a mind-blowing and transforming experience which is needed by the Zimbabwean Centre.
“I was excited to witness the rich culture represented by China.
“Meeting different delegates from all the world motivated me to have a deeper appreciation of the methodological, disciplined and professional to the development of theatre in Zimbabwe.
“We need to take more initiatives to attract the young artistic population of Zimbabwe.”
Nyikadzino concludes his report by making the following recommendations:
l To effectively promote a smooth flow about international activities and communications by the International Theatre Institute;
l To work effectively in informing the world about the Zimbabwe theatre scene;
l To ensure that Zimbabwe is actively involved in the activities of the committees, forums and groups of the International Theatre Institute
l To work closely with national associations in other domains of culture and performing arts;
l To initiate international theatre projects with other national centres of the International theatre Institute;
l To organise national and international seminars and conferences on theatre;
l To establish the ITI (Zimbabwe Centre) office in Harare as the national hub for information on theatre and for the co-ordination of activities of heater groups and performing arts associations;
l To find ways of broadening the media coverage of the Zimbabwean theatre scene;
l To promote international exchange between Zimbabwean theatre professionals and activities of performing arts groups and the international theatre scene.
Nyikadzino was happy to report that he received on behalf of the ITI (Zimbabwe) Centre, a set of books on acting from the Director of the Theatre Education and Training Committee, which is concerned “with the teaching of theatre and teacher training”.
The committee works in partnership with Unesco Chair of Theatre. One of the committee’s major project is the World Theatre Training Library which has published 10 volumes collection of exercises for actors and theatre managers.
The Director of the Theatre Education and Training Committee indicated to Nyikadzino that she will willing to work with the Zimbabwean centre in organising intensive theatre training programmes in Zimbabwe and ensuring that Zambian theatre professionals are able to access the World Theatre Training Library.
The World Theatre Congress concluded with the election of 20 member Executive Committee.
Ali Mahdi of Sudan and Hamadou Mande of Burkina Faso will represent Africa on the Executive Committee.
Zimbabwe Centre is expected to establish strong communication links with these two executive committee especially in expanding the establishment of national centres of ITI in Africa.
Already Zimbabwe has established theatre professionals in Swaziland, Botswana, Zambia and Malawi who are hoping to establish national centres by the first part of next.
The ITI development officer has indicated that she would like the Zimbabwe Centre to host a Southern African meeting of national centre in 2012.
The Steering Committee of the ITI (Zimbabwe Centre) has recently resolved to extending its membership by sending application forms to all theatre professionals – actors, playwrights, directors, theatre educators, set designers, theatre promoters, dancers, stand-up comedians, choreographers, theatre critics, theatre researchers, who constitute the membership constituency of an ITI Centre.
It is hoped that those who will have paid their membership of US$10 for the year will be eligible for election to the National Executive Committee of the Centre which should in place before Zimbabwe hosts the Southern African meeting of national centres of the International theatre Institute.
Although the steering committee has developed a comprehensive list of theatre professionals in Zimbabwe, which they use to distribute the membership form theatre professionals are encouraged to link up and obtain more information from the rest of the members of the steering committee.
Members of the steering committee include Zane Lucas, Daniel Maposa, Elizabeth Muchemwa, Jasen Mphepo, Stephen Chifunyise, Eunice Tava, James Jemwa, Joanna Powell and Leeroy Gono.
The 34th World Theatre Congress of the International Theatre Institute will be held in Havana, Cuba, in 2013.
Nyikadzino stressed, in his report, that Zimbabwe should begin to prepare to send a strong theatre delegation to Havana and to participate in activities of the committees, which are held between the congresses. Zimbabwe has a very strong bilateral cultural agreement with Cuba.
This should give Zimbabwean theatre professionals not only as members of the Zimbabwe centre but ordinary theatre practitioners to work towards securing funding to participate in the theatre events to be held during the 34th World Congress.
They also need to work towards establishing contact with their counterparts in Cuba in order to produce joint theatre productions, which could be recommended from performance during this prime world theatre event.