4th International Theater Festival for Persons with Disabilities Closes

The ceremony started with the speech of the officials. Anoushiravan Mohseni Bandpay, managing director of State Welfare Organization, thanked the artists and read out parts of the message of president Hassan Rouhani on the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3), irantheater.ir reported.

Dr Noparast, deputy managing director of State Welfare Organization, said the festival paved the ground for sublimation of Iranian/Islamic art and would promote theater of persons with disabilities.

He listed the increase in the number of foreign troupes participating in the festival, development of educational space, play writing section and cooperation of the national and provincial bodies as characteristics of the fourth edition of the festival.

Zargarpour, governor general of Isfahan, said that the officials should try to provide persons with disabilities chances as equal as people with no disabilities. “We should try to increase their chances of marriage, finding jobs and cultural and artistic activities,” he said and added that the festival, which was hosted by Isfahan, illustrated the capabilities of people with disabilities.

Ghotbeddin Sadeghi, in his speech as the representative of the jury, referred to a plan to establish 10 theater auditoriums designed for persons with disabilities. He urged that a permanent headquarters in Tehran and halls for persons with disabilities be constructed soon.

The university professor described the festival as functional rather than being experimental or commercial.

He also called for production of more comedy because majority of works took part in the festival had been bitter.