FROM THE GENERAL SECRETARIAT

The next Executive Meeting will take place in Tokyo, Japan from July 19th to
24th.

The General secretariat will be closed from July 15th to August 20th due to the
meeting in Tokyo and then summer vacations in Sweden.

ASSITEJ Germany and Switzerland in co-operation with ASSITEJ International will
organise a conference on the subject: "How to study theatre for children and young people?" in Zürich in Switzerland on the 1st to
4th of November this year.

Information about the conference will be sent out to all ASSITEJ centres shortly.

The new ASSITEJ International Annual published by the German centre will also be sent to all centre shortly.

A new information brouchure about ASSITEJ will be published by the General
Secretariat and it will be distributed to all centres in the next couple of
months.

And a new layout of the web-site <www.assitej.org> will be launched in a couple
of weeks.

2002 ASSITEJ Congress and Festival in Seoul

For more information about the Congress

www.assitej.org

or contact:

ASSITEJ Korea

Batanggol Arts Centre

3rd Fl, 1-60 Dongsoong-dong

Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-510

Korea

Phone: +822-745 5863

Fax: +822-745 5864

E-mail: assitej@chollian.net

ASSITEJ General Secretariat,

Report on activities, January - June 2001.


1. Introduction and acknowledgments

In this report on activities the Secretary General wishes to acknowledge the
financial support for the General Secretariat in Stockholm given by the
governments in Scandinavia. Support has been given from the governments in
Sweden, Denmark, Norway.

The Secretary General also wishes to ackknowledge the support from SIDA (Swedish
International Developing Agency) and the Swedish Institute for subsidies
concerning travels, accomodation and per diem for the Secretary General as well
as foreign collegues.

ASSITEJ Sweden also receives subsidy from the National Council of Cultural
Affaires.

2. The General Secretariat

The Secretariat together with ASSITEJ Sweden is situated in Barn- och
ungdomsteaterhuset Fyren in connection with TURteatern and the local cultural
administration of Stockholm city in the southern suburb of Kärrtorp.

From September 1st 2000 to February 28th Alison Turner worked as Executive
Assistant. Alison is an intern within the International Youth Intership Program
sponsored by the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Alison is also present during the EC-meeting in Tokyo in July to help with the
minutes and other practical matters.

3. Meetings and festivals

Executive Committee Meetings

There has been no EC meeting during the first part of 2001.

Other meetings

- The Secretary General participated in a Nordic ASSITEJ Meeting in Oulu in
Finland in February.

- The Secretary General and the President participated in an Asian ASSITEJ
meeting in Seoul, Korea, organised by ASSITEJ Korea from March 20th to 24th. The
topic of the meeting was "What is the importance of tradition to the theatre for
children and young people in your country?" and the meeting also gave
opportunity to celebrate the first Theatre for Children and Young People World
Day and to meet representatives from Asian ASSITEJ countries; Korea, Japan,
Phillipines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

- ASSITEJ Sweden and the General Secretariat organised a Nordic
ASSITEJ-festival in the two small towns of Falun and Borlänge in May.
Productions from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Finland, Russia, Switzerland
participated in the festival. Observers from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary,
USA, Korea, China, Bangladesh, South Africa, Namibia, Uganda, Zimbabwe and
Zambia were invited to the festival with subsidies from the Swedish Institute
ans SIDA. After the festival the guests visited the Swedish Theatre Biennale in
the city of Växjö.

- The Secretary General visited Nürnberg in Germany in June for the
International Directors Seminar and had meetings with ASSITEJ Germany.

Festivals

- The Secretary General visited the yearly Danish festival of theatre for
children and young people, this year in the town of Herning, in late April.

- The Secretary General visited the festival Biennale du Théâtre - Jeunes
Publics in Lyon, France in June and had a meeting with Maurice Yendt, artsistic
director of the festival and in president of ASSITEJ France.

4. Communication with the membership

A new lay-out for the web-site (www.assitej.org) has been worked out in
co-operation with ASSITEJ Denmark (councillor Peter Manscher and webmaster Stig
Hansen). The new lay-out was discussed in the Communication and publication
Commission at the last EC-meeting in Harare in December 2000.

During 2001 the General Secretariat has produced two Newsletters (No 28 -
February, No 29 - July) which have been distributed via e-mail and in printed
copies.

The Festival Guide 2001 was completed by the end of January and distributed
in printed copies to all centres and other organisations. The Festival Guide on
the web-site has been up-dated regularly during the year.

5. Membership matters

Membership applications from Lithuania and Cameroun will be brought to the
EC-meeting in Tokyo. The Secretary General has met representatives from both
countries and visits by the Secretary General are scheduled for the second part
of 2001.

6. Travels and visits

From January to June 2001 the Secretary General has visited the following
centres/countries:

Oulu, Finland: Nordic ASSITEJ meeting

New York, USA

Seoul, Korea: Asian ASSITEJ meeting

Herning, Denmark: Teatercentrum festival

Lyon, France: the festival Biennale du Théâtre - Jeunes Publics

Nürnberg, Germany: International Directors Seminar

From January to June 2001 the General Secretariat received guests in Sweden
from:

Bangladesh

Denmark

China

Estonia

Finland

Hungary

Iceland

Korea

Latvia

Lithuania

Namibia

Norway

Russia

South Africa

Switzerland

Uganda

USA

Zambia

Zimbabwe


Some reports from the celebration of the Theatre for Children and Young
People World Day.

Brasil

In Rio de Janeiro the Day was celebrated at a ceremony with 450 persons and
in Brasilia a speech was read in the Federal Deputy Chamber and in the Senate.

Czech Republic

Throughout the country 53 theatre companies in 14 towns with a total of 74
plays signed up to participate in the celebration. In Prague the ASSITEJ centre
organised a celebration at the Divadlo v Celetné theatre. The celebration
programme consisted of representatives of amateur theatres for children,
child-performed theatres for children and professional theatre companies.

Iran

The production centre of Theatre and Puppet Theatres of Kanoon/ASSITEJ Iran,
committed to the promotion of theatres for children and young adults in Iran,
celebrated the first world day of theatre for children and young people on March
4th with various ceremonies at the theatre of Kanoon including: the puppet play
"Torandj" introducing traditional Iranian puppets to children presented through
joyful plays and music performd by a young artist. At the end of the ceremony,
masks were offered to children to be painted by them at home and to be returned
at Kanoon to compete with each other. Awards will be given to the most beautiful
one.

Korea

A celebration was held in Seoul in connection with the Asian ASSITEJ-meeting.
Speeches were deliverd by Kim Jeong Ok, president of ITI, by Harold Oaks,
president of ASSITEJ and Kim Woo-ok, president of ASSITEJ Korea. An out-door
performance by various Korean theatre companies was also organised.

Latvia

The World Day was celebrated with the first Baltic ASSITEJ-festivl with
performances from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and with invited guests from
Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Ukraine and Russia.

New Zealand

ASSITEJ New Zealand organised a free workshop for young people who had not
encountered theatre before and also a party. Attending the party was a cross
section of ages from 7 years and upwards. The format of the evening was, first a
presentation by a group of young actors to open discussions on the subject.
Question/answer sesion led by Christchurch Drama Centre director Rosie Belton
and then eating, dancing, skits and drama games. A thoroughly enjoyable evening
and productive in raising awareness on the subject of relevance of young peoples
theatre.

Uganda

In Uganda the World Day coincided with the republics presidential election
but neverteless the day was celebrated with talk shows and programmes on six
radio stations and two TV stations. In the evening 300 artists assembled in the
Pride Theatre in Kampala to have a social evening with various artists
performing.

FROM THE CENTRES

GERMANY

Festivals

World Interplay 2001

The next World Interplay Festival of Young Playwrights takes place from July
8. to 22, 2001 in Townsville / Australia. More than 50 young playwrights from
all over the world will attend this festival.

Contact: interplay@jcu.edu.au

Children's and Youth Theatre Centre in the Federal Republic of Germany

Email: zentrum@kjtz.de

IRAN

Other things of interest:

-Five performances for introducing five books at Tehran Int'l Book Fair

-Creative Drama, puppet making, acting, and directing plays workshops at
Kanoon/ Sistan& Blouchestan

Article:

Dialog of Civilizations and Theatre for Children

By: Chista Yasrebi

Inst. for the Intellectual Dev. of Children & Young adults

"Dialog of civilizations" or " Conversation in order to find things in common"
is the very definition of theatre. It is said that art in general is a restless
search to share a feeling amid people with diverse backgrounds. But theatre,
compared with the other kinds of art, is somehow different.

Communication with people through a live performance on the stage to bring
about agreement and mutual understanding is the unique role of theatre,
especially in theatre for children, since children are supposed to learn mutual
understanding in early ages.

In the beginning of the new millennium, mass media and arts have most often
focused on public entertainment rather than following their informative
responsibility. In this critical age, theatre for children offers a chance to
awaken the social conscious; it is the best way of reacting to the target of "
Dialog among civilizations". It can surpass prejudice, prejudgment and wrong
beliefs common in our world. Theatre can facilitate the promotion of various
kinds of cultures and opinions and bring the dialog among nations into harmony;
it, in fact, teaches cultural exchanges practically on the stage. But, theatre
for children of today can be of success only when it can help children from
various cultures share the same experience and dreams; this is such theatre,
that becomes one of the man's essential needs, as it's said by Peter Brook, the
well-known French director.

The dialogue of civilizations through theatre, especially theatre for
children, is supposed to have an answer to this question: "How to teach children
peace, friendship, and tolerance?"

Iranian theatre for children, especially children's experimental theatre, has
been proved capable of providing the best chance for cultural exchanges; in the
form of a happy play, it creates the best atmosphere for mutual understanding
from various point of view.

Joy and creativity, the two main cores of any cultural exchange, especially
when children are concerned, are the cofactors for any kind of education.
Learning such concepts as friendship, peace, and tolerance needs talent and
creativity; and it must be done in a way that it makes a positive sense of
creativity flourish in children.

In workshops of theatre in Iran, children learn how to challenge old beliefs
and develop a modern concept out of it. Through new performances of old legends
from the inquisitive approach of young generation, they come to a better
understanding of their culture.

Today, theatre can provide a chance for children to experience tolerance, and
peace, to learn to hear everyone's ideas, however unfavorable they are, and to
find a way out.

This kind of play has been practiced in theater workshops in Iran which has
attracted many children. All those who attend these workshops will have a new
experience that gives them the ability to express themselves, their feelings,
fears and goals freely; accordingly, they get to know themselves and other
children better via this path of communication.

This is the most significant goal of theater; Sympathy creates a common
understanding between actors and the audience. This is why the stage is known as
an imitation of real life.

If children audience is influenced so that they are well aware of their
surroundings and avoid violence when facing an unfavorable situation, have
self-confidence and are able to express themselves and hear others, we have
achieved our goal to improve the human society and reached the main purpose of
the " Dialog of civilizations".

In our future world, theatre has to be based on the peaceful coalition of
cultures, and our children have to be trained for it today.

Sri Lanka

Festivals

Children’s and Youth theatre festival by Lank Children’s’ and Youth Theatre
Organisation.

15th – 19th August 2001, Elphinstone Theatre, Colombo

[Six plays performed in five days]

Seminars, workshops

(1) Regular weekend workshop

(2) Workshops and seminars organized around the country at request by
schools and other cultural organizations.

(3) Currently carrying on a programme of training directors to direct
Children’s plays as well as children’s theatre workshops.

Weekend workshop is held at the premises of Play House for Children’s and
Youth,Kotte.

Other things of interest:

(1) Project to work with underprivileged children

1.1 Offering them opportunities in creative drama & play as out of school
activities.

1.2 Using the opportunity to educate them to be aware of realities of threats
to their security, physical, psychological, social and cultural.

(2) Touring the provinces with Children’s Theatre on request.

(3) Collaborating with the ministry of culture, introducing Children’s
Theatre and conducting drama workshops in the cultural centers.

The project with the under privileged children is scheduled to commence on
the 16th July 2001 is of six months duration. It will be started from Colombo
South/Colombo district.

TUNISIA

Festivals

Nabeul,capital du Téâtre pour Enfants

16eme Festival International Néapolis du Théâtre pour Enfants

Nabeul-Tunisie du 17 au 24 décembre 2001

VousÍtes les bienvenus à la 16eme session du Festival International Néapolis
du Theatre pour Enfants qui aura lieu à Nabeul-Tunisie du 17 au 24 décembre
2001.

Le Festival Neapolis est une réalisation spécifique à l'enfance digne de
toutes les sollicitudes de l'ére Nouvelle en Tunisie.

Il est l'un des piliers fondamentaux du 4eme Art en Tunisie.Il a pris de
l'ampleur et est devenu si cèlebre que plusieurs spécialistes du Théâtre pour
enfants s'y rendent chaque année.

Un participation des plus cèlebres cadres et compagnies à la 16eme session
d´epassent de loin celles des Èditions précédentes.

Une quarantaine de reprèsentations théâtrales reparties sur plusieurs espaces
à Nabeul au Cap-Bon et à l'interieur du Pays.

Des experts locaux et Ètrangers dirigeant les differents travaux de promotion
du ThȂtre pour Enfants.

Un important intèrÍt des autoritès de tutelles, des mass media et de pouvoirs
concerés avec la présence d'un grand nombre d'enfants, d'Ètudiants, d'animateurs
et de responsables de formation des générations futures prouvent que le Festival
International Néapolis du Théâtre pour Enfants de Nabeul est une véritable école
spécialisée o˘ s'acquiert l'expérience, o s'expérimentent l'information et o se
procure le savoir-faire.

CONTACT:

e-mail:
neapolis-festival@yahoo.fr

tel: +216 2 285 265

fax: +216 2 223 393

VIETNAM

Festivals

May 1st

The Youth Theatre, ASSITEJ Vietnam perform special program of dance and song:
"Nang ban mai".

From May 5th to 12th

The Youth Theatre, ASSITEJ Vietnam perform a drama for young audiences.


From May 15th to 25th

The Youth Theatre, ASSITEJ Vietnam performs a song and comedy program in Ha
Noi, Quang Ninh City and Hai Phong City.

From May 25th to June 5th

The Youth Theatre, ASSITEJ Vietnam performed 2 special dance and song
programs: "Ngoi nha cua Be" and "Chim son ca" in Ho Chi Minh City, Quang Ninh
City, Hai Phong city and in Ha Noi.

Other events

From June 18th to 24th the China National Youth Theatre visits The youth
Theatre, ASSITEJ Centre in order to exchange cultural ideas between the two
theatres.

June 15th to July 15th

On the occasuion of the month of action for children and with the assistance
of UNICEF, ASSITEJ Vietnam and children´s newspapers carry out a stage project
on the subject "HIV prevention for children". Many professional writers took
part in this project. It is the first time a project on HIV/AIDS has been
organized in Vietnam.

From July 15th to July 30th

The Youth Theatre, ASSITEJ Vietnam performs the new drama: My darling is Miss
(Nguoi yeu toi la hoa hau).

From Auhust 1st to 30th

The Youth Theatre, ASSITEJ Vietnam performs in the central provinces with
many dramas: Loi Vu, Doi Cuoi, Nguoi yeu toi la hoa hau.

September 2nd

To welcome the Natinal Day of Socialist Republic of Vietnam, The Youth
Theatre, ASSITEJ Vietnam performs a special song and dance program.

From September 5th to 30th

The Youth Theatre, ASSITEJ Vietnam performs comedie, Doi Cuoi, Ke khoc nguoi
and many dramas, Loi Vu as for young audiences.

From October 1st to 10th

For the Mid Autumn Day on October 1st The Youth Theatre, ASSITEJ Vietnam
performs a special song and dance program called: "Marching in a procession of
lanterns". This is an annual special gift which The Youth Theatre, ASSITEJ
Vietnam gives to the children.

Seminar and workshops

As usual on Sunday mornings, The Youth Theatre, ASSITEJ Vietnam performs
dance, songs and dramas for young people.

Other things of interest

The Youth Theatre, ASSITEJ Vietnam organizes monthly a "Club of Young
Audiences" with a theme for each month. This gives the young audiences a chance
to meet and talk with actors and actresses in order to educate their knoeledge
of art.