Reports of Iran Achievements from ITI Seminar in Iran Theater Website’s Exclusive Interview With Director of Dramatic Arts Center

Over 40 member countries attended the gathering to discuss most important challenges and issues facing the world theater. Ghader Ashena, director general of Dramatic Arts Center (DAC) represented Iran in the conference. Accompanied with an Iranian delegation, he discussed Iran’s theater, theatrical groups and performances with fellow member countries.
In an exclusive interview with Iran Theater website, Ashena talked about decisions made during the ITI seminar in Romania.
The first decision, he said, was about the procedure of activities of the institute across the world as well as continuation of the current trend or carrying out some changes.
ITI office is working under the umbrella of UNESCO and is considered one of its affiliates now, Ashena explained, adding that main discussion was that member countries could directly contact UNESCO or should any connection to the UN cultural body was done through ITI.  
He said that a comprehensive discussion was conducted and was finally decided the new UNESCO proposal with details to be submitted to the member countries for approval within the next month.
Iran, Ashena said, favored the direct contact with UNESCO while it was planned member countries to be informed of details for final approval.
This was the most important topic of the gathering which a working day was spent on it.
On ITI’s Asian office, DAC director said the second topic was establishment of an Asian office of the institute in Iran.
“Iran, an ITI member, proposed to be the institute’s office in Asia,” Ashena said, explaining that many issues were discussed in this regard.
“In a session with ITI director, the director of institute’s office in Iran to be introduced from the Islamic Republic,” he said.
It was planned the related communications would be finalized within the next month, Ashena said, adding that some communications should be addressed to the Ministry of Science about the office for making required coordination with the ministry. But UNESCO regards Culture Ministry as Iran’s representing state body, which also pays the country’s annual membership fees to the UN body. It is planned the office to be considered as ITI’s Middle Eastern office and its director to be appointed by Iran.    
Referring to theater schools in Iran, DAC director said that the academic centers would have constant relations with ITI office to be able to organize festivals, dispatch university professors abroad and hold educational workshops in different countries. These were issues agreed with UNESCO, he added.
Dispatch of three young professors for holding specialized educational workshops in next year’s ITI seminar was among other positive agreements for Iran’s theater, said Ashena.
The most important achievement of the gathering for Iran, he believed, was introducing Iran as a country that enjoyed a dynamic theater.
“For those who had never seen Iran and were not familiar with its theater and civilization, our reports were unbelievable. Some member countries could not imagine such huge number of plays was performed in Iran’s different cities.
 For instance, representatives of New Zealand were surprised by such information and statistics but others from Armenia, India and Romani who had visited Iran or were familiar with country’s theater could admit the reports and praised Iran’s capabilities.
Ashena said the seminar was a good opportunity for introducing potentials of Iran’s theater to the world. The most important things used to introduce Iran’s theater were Ta’zieh and traditional and ritual plays. Meanwhile, participants showed enthusiasm towards call for attending the International Fadjr Theater Festival.
Iran’s introduction of its theater potentials were positively received by member countries, especially those with more than one group like the US and India, he said, adding that the issue positively influenced some other countries, encouraging them to become familiar with Iran’s theater.
Some educational workshops and meetings were held among theatrical groups to exchange views. Memorandum of understandings were concluded between Iran and Armenia, India and some Latin American countries to share cultural and social experiences.  
DAC director said that the quality of performances by Iranian students were way better than students of other member countries.
“That’s a source of hope and special attention must be paid to presence of Iranian works outside the country. Artistic development is one of the most important issues and among priorities of the center (DAC).”
Other double-edged issue was that other countries who were not familiar with Iran, its culture and art had a thoroughly negative picture of the country, he said, adding that this was both a source of satisfaction and dissatisfaction.
Some countries who were familiar with Iran’s theater spoke enthusiastically of it, he explained, adding that such reaction surprised others asking that whether was possible such big number of plays be performed in a country the western media picture so negatively?
 It was impossible for them to imagine about 5,000 performances were made in 190 cities of Iran [other than Tehran] in the past five months. While representatives, members and directors of some countries had praised Iranian performances, that made many countries surprised.
Ashena suggested that Iran to increase its theatrical exchange with the world as an easy and pragmatic language to establish ties with mankind.  
Ashena added that given black propaganda against Iran and the country’s weaker status in this regard, theater could play an important role to improve country’s cultural and artistic image.
The director said that Iran would welcome theatrical exchange with other countries, urging cultural and artistic community of the country to prioritize the issue.
Although Iran has already had theatrical exchange, the necessity to increase such relations is felt more today given the special circumstances the country is facing.
Ashena said the activity must be taken seriously, which needs proper planning throughout the year.
Over 50 countries are ITI members of them Armenia, China, Costa Rica, India, Iran, Georgia, Mexico, New Zealand, Romania, Russia and US participated in the seminar.