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여기를 클릭 하시면 크롬 등 브라우저에서 제공하는 한국어 번역을 이용하실 수 있습니다. If you can't read the email, please click here to read it in your browser | Ntho Di Bonwa Ka Ho Tsamaya – One Learns By Travelling |
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By Lalu Mokuku, Member of the Executive Committee of ASSITEJ International Ntho di bonwa ka ho tsamaya is a Sesotho expression meaning “one learns by travelling.” For me, both literal and imaginative journeys constantly water my artistic and personal growth. Whenever I travel, I like to learn about the place; its social, political, cultural, and economic context. So, you can imagine my curiosity as I prepared to visit Canada, specifically Montreal, for the first edition of LA MÈCHE COURTE. At the same time, I was deeply involved in a Judicial Theatre project for 10 - 12-year-olds called NOMPILO, co-written with Omphile Malusi. The play tells the story of a young girl who becomes confused when told that “No means Yes and Yes means No.” Her confusion leads to a painful experience of sexual assault - and a search for truth in what we called the “Judicial Jungle.” The research for NOMPILO took me to different places, connected me with people, and introduced me to important readings, including Loretta Ross’s idea of “calling in.” Her theory inspired me to create layered, complex and nuanced characters. I learnt that child sexual molesters are rarely strangers; they are often trusted parents, guardians, caregivers, relatives, or friends. Later, I travelled to KwaZulu-Natal; a province in South Africa, to watch the performance of NOMPILO. I was moved by the symbolic use of ribbons in the production. My mind immediately travelled to the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal and the birth of the White Ribbon Movement, a global campaign against gender-based violence. Coincidentally, November 20 of that same year marked the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Its three guiding pillars; Protection, Provision, and Participation - continue to shape our work here in ASSITEJ. Through a conversation with the director, Zama Nande Mngadi, I learnt that the ribbons in her production represented innocence. This symbolism was beautifully expressed in the costume - a black dress decorated with ribbons across the bust, waist, and hips, subtly marking the areas most often violated. This choice made the portrayal of trauma both tender and evocative. Reflecting on all this, I realised how theatre and the performing arts allow us to travel; physically, emotionally, and imaginatively. I believe it is a precious gift that I hope to water with care, especially because we make art with, for, and about children.
Read on our website in: French, Spanish & Russian |
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| | | | International Visit for Cultural Professionals to Ukraine in November | | | ASSITEJ Ukraine Insha Osvita is seeking cultural professionals from Europe who are interested in learning about the current artistic context of the performing arts in Ukraine. We invite you to join a flexible program of activities from November 24 to 30 to form your own impression of the current cultural context in Ukraine. 🌎🌍🌏 Kyiv, Ukraine 🗓 24 - 30 November 2025 Read more
Registration form |
| | | | Open Call: Next Generation Residency – Mongolia 2026 | | | ASSITEJ Mongolia The Next Generation Residency 2026 is a 10-day creative residency organised within the framework of the Wanderlust in Asia Festival — a touring theatre festival across Mongolia’s western Zavkhan province. The program invites young and emerging artists, both professional and non-professional — including directors, actors, designers, educators, and facilitators — who are passionate about developing performing arts for children and young audiences. This year’s theme focuses on “The Role of Theatre for Young Audiences in Addressing Climate Change.” 🌎🌍🌏 Zavkhan Province, Mongolia 🗓 28 March - 8 April 2026 (subject to change) Deadline: 1 December 2025 More info & application form |
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| | | | Fully Funded Erasmus Mundus Master in Applied Theatre | | | Western Norway University of Applied Sciences Theatre SPACEs is the first Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Programme focusing on theatre in social, participatory, community and educational contexts. It is jointly offered by universities in Norway, Ireland, Romania, Germany, and the Czech Republic. This unique programme goes far beyond a traditional Master's; students will study in at least three countries and earn a joint degree from all partner universities. There will be no tuition fees for the pilot class (2026–2028), and top candidates will receive scholarships of €1,400/month for 24 months. Applications are open worldwide to students with a BA in arts, humanities, and related fields. Deadline: 1 December 2025 More information |
| | | | Call for Entries: FRATZ Festival | | | Theater o.N. "FRATZ International: Encounters - Symposium - Festival for the Very Young" has been presented by Theater o.N. in Berlin since 2013. It also hosts a symposium to discuss and explore the latest developments in dance and theatre for very young audiences. FRATZ 2026 will take place in Berlin from October 9-15, 2026. We are planning to invite 4 productions for children aged 0-6. The production should have premiered between 30 September 2023 and 15 October 2025. 🌎🌍🌏 Berlin, Germany
🗓 9 - 15 October 2026 Deadline: 16 November 2025 More information |
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| News from Around the World |
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| | | | Final Conference and Book Release | | | Babel Project 'Babel - or The Art of Listening in Theatre for Young Audiences' project (Creative Europe), will conclude with its Final Conference and Book Release. This special event will celebrate years of international collaboration exploring the art of listening within theatre for young audiences. Join artists, researchers, festival directors, and policymakers from across Europe as we reflect on the project’s findings and celebrate the vibrant community of Theatre for Young Audiences. 🌎🌍🌏 Brussels, Belgium 🗓 7 November 2025
More information |
| | | | Inclusion in Action: Share & Inspire | | | IIAN We invite you to come together, celebrate and build community during a moment to get to know each other better, exchange ideas, network, or discuss work in an informal way. It's an opportunity to come together with other practitioners in the field of inclusion and access. The global community of practitioners, artists and theatre makers engaged in projects on cultural accessibility and inclusive participation will meet and share ideas, best practices, practical tools and, last but not least, get to know better the IIAN Board and the activities of the Association. 🌎🌍🌏 ZOOM 🗓 11 November 2025 More info & registration |
| | | | Sustainable Travel International | | | Sustainability Section Travel is Incredible. It opens our minds, connects us, and makes the world a smaller place... it also accounts for 8% of global emissions, litters the planet with plastic, threatens species, and overburdens communities. We build tools that tackle these issues and enable the travel industry to adopt better practices that leave behind a positive impact. Read more |
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| | | | The 22nd ASSITEJ Korea Winter Festival | | | ASSITEJ Korea The 22nd ASSITEJ Korea Winter Festivalwill take place from December 26, 2025, to January 4, 2026, across major venues in Daehakro, Seoul. Under the theme “When Children are Happy, the World is Happy”, the festival presents seven main performances, one special performance, and an exhibition, offering a vibrant program for children and families. Featuring genres from puppet theatre and shadow theatre to live music, the festival celebrates the creativity and diversity of performing arts for young audiences. 🌎🌍🌏 Seoul, Korea 🗓 26 December 2025 - 4 January 2026 More information |
| | | | The Creative Link: Reimagining Democracy Through Performance | | | ASSITEJ Rwanda What does democracy look like through the eyes of young people? The Creative Link brings together artists from Rwanda, the Great Lakes region, and Europe to explore this question through the performing arts. The project will connect 45 artists in intensive collaborations around democratic debate, intergenerational dialogue, bodies and migration, and participatory theatre. The project will culminate in May 2026 with an Arts & Democracy Forum bringing together artists, researchers, educators, and policymakers. 🗓 September 2025 - August 2026 Read more
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| | | | ŻiguŻajg Festival Celebrates 15 Years | | | ŻiguŻajg International Arts Festival for Children & Young People ŻiguŻajg Festival Celebrates 15 Years with an Expanded Delegate Programme, New Collaborations and Landmark Performances. Since its inception in 2010, ŻiguŻajg has commissioned over 250 original works and remains Malta’s only annual festival dedicated exclusively to young audiences, continuing to champion artistic excellence, inclusivity, and creativity for children and young people. The 2025 Delegate Programme returns with an expanded structure for artists, producers, programmers and cultural professionals working in theatre and performance for young audiences. 🌎🌍🌏 Valleta, Birgu (Vittoriosa) & Gozo, Malta 🗓 14 - 23 November 2025 More information |
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| | | | Little Footprint Theatre Ignites a Celebration of Young Audiences in Zimbabwe | | | ASSITEJ Zimbabwe Little Footprint Theatre, a new Zimbabwean ensemble of young artists under PICA, Umkhathi Theatre and ASSITEJ Zimbabwe, launches an inspiring World Children’s Day Festival. The tour features four original productions celebrating children’s voices, creativity, and the power of theatre for young audiences. 🌎🌍🌏 Zimbabwe 🗓 20 - 30 November 2025 More information |
| | | | Visioni 2026: Registration is Open! | | | ASSITEJ Italy It is now possible to book your spot for the 23rd edition of "Visioni di futuro, visioni di teatro..." - the International Festival of Performing Arts and Culture for Early Years, at the Testoni Theatre in Bologna. 17 companies, of which 11 are international, 38 shows at the Theatre for schools and families, 4 shows inside the local crèches, 5 meetings and 10 workshops with guests from all over the world, all from the 8th to the 15th of March 2026. 🌎🌍🌏 Bologna, Italy 🗓 8 - 15 March 2026 More information |
| | | | Eight New Honorary Members of ASSITEJ Germany | | | ASSITEJ Germany At the General Assembly, eight individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Association and the performing arts for young audiences over many years were honoured. The following individuals were newly admitted as honorary members upon the recommendation of the membership: Brigitte Dethier, Andrea Maria Erl, Stefan Fischer-Fels, Rebecca Hohmann, Detlef Köhler, Lydia Schubert, Jutta Maria Staerk and Wolfgang Stüßel. Most of them have been or are still active not only in Germany, but also internationally. Read more |
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| Article/Podcast Section | | | | Knowledge - Experiences - Reflections |
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| By Sofía Sanz (ASSITEJ Mexico) | | | | El Playpen Podcast | | | El Playpen is a new bilingual podcast connecting Theatre for Young Audiences makers from Mexico and the UK. Hosted by Sofía Sanz (PEN Projects), it opens an international dialogue to explore the landscape, challenges, and creative processes of two vibrant TYA communities. More information Listen to Podcast |
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| | | ASSITEJ International | Nørregade 26 1st Floor, 1165 København, Denmark | | | |
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