World Theatre Day 2024: Theme for this year’s celebrations and its meaning

A prominent American playwright, Tennessee Williams, once said, “The theatre is a place where one has time for the problems of people to whom one would show the door if they came to one’s office for a job” and indeed, the medium has been playing a crucial role in nurturing people with happiness.

Ashutosh Raj Updated On: 25 Mar 2024 09:38:AM

World Theatre Day 2024: Theme for this year’s celebrations and its meaning

Theatre is considered to be one of the best art forms. (Photo credit: Pixabay)

New Delhi: Music, movies, and theatre are some of the best mediums of entertainment that not only bring smiles to the faces of people but also help them witness the beauty of life in another form. Since centuries, theatres have played a crucial role in entertaining people, and thus a special day has been dedicated to honour the value of theatre. March 27 is annually celebrated as World Theatre Day to highlight the importance and beauty of theatre arts as they continue to thrive, teach, entertain, and bring significant changes to our lives. The day is celebrated based on a theme and the theme for World Theatre Day 2024 is “Theatre and a Culture of Peace.”

What does the theme means?

While the day is celebrated along with grand events, the theme for the event has been the same for the last 59 years. The International Theatre Institute, ITI, world’s largest performing arts organisation, does not change the theme every year. The theme promotes the role of theatre in maintaining peace and harmony in society. According to the United Nations, the Culture of Peace is a set of value, modes of behaviour and ways of life that nullify violence and avoid conflict by tackling its root causes. The culture of peace promotes solving problems through dialogue and negotiation and art is the best medium for learning and solving problems.

Role of theatre

Theatre has been playing a significant role in human life by providing an opportunity to smile and enjoy the beauty of life through arts and plays. A prominent American playwright, Tennessee Williams once said, “The theatre is a place where one has time for the problems of people to whom one would show the door if they came to one’s office for a job” and indeed the medium has been playing a crucial role in nurturing people with happiness. Theatre is considered to be one of the best art forms. Though the time has changed and several other mediums of arts like multiplexes, movie theatres and other avenues of entertainment, are spreading their legs, theatre continues to thrive through street plays, dramas, and some prominent actors who carry the proficiency of theatre while performing in movies.