Mission

The International Theatre Institute ITI, the world’s largest performing arts organization founded in 1948 by theatre and dance experts and UNESCO, strives for a society in which the performing arts and their artists thrive and flourish. ITI advances UNESCO’s goals of mutual understanding and peace and advocates the protection and promotion of cultural expression, regardless of age, gender, creed, or ethnicity. It works to these ends internationally and nationally in the areas of performing arts education, international exchange and collaboration, and youth training.

Vision

The International Theatre Institute ITI envisions a world that puts strong value and importance on the Performing Arts.

• It is a world in which performing artists are able to work and present their creative ideas to the audiences.


• It is a world in which local, regional, and national authorities, as well as sponsors and donors, invest in the Performing Arts and fund organizations, institutions, and artists in the fields of theatre, dance, and music theatre in all their diverse forms.
• It is a world in which education in the techniques of the Performing Arts and related subjects are offered on all levels of education – from primary to high school and university.


• It is a world in which the Performing Arts – especially theatre – are used in communities, for development, for mutual understanding and for building peace in conflict zones and all over the world.


• It is a world in which the diverse cultures and expressions are safeguarded and innovation is promoted.

Goals

The purpose of the International Theatre Institute is to promote international exchange of knowledge and practice in theatre arts in order to consolidate peace and friendship between peoples, to deepen mutual understanding and increase creative co-operation between all people in the theatre arts. To achieve this purpose, the ITI shall:

• Encourage activities and creation in the field of the live performing arts, Drama, Dance, Music theatre;


• Aim at an enlargement of the existing collaboration between performing arts disciplines and organizations, both national and international;


• Establish international offices and foster the establishment of National Centres of the ITI in all countries;


• Collect documents, disseminate all types of information and issue publications in the realm of the performing arts;


• Co-operate actively in the development of the “Theatre of Nations” festival and encourage and co-ordinate the organization of theatrical congresses, workshops and meetings of experts, as well as festivals, exhibitions and competitions, both on regional and interregional levels, in co-operation with its members;


• Defend the free development of the performing arts and contribute to the protection of the rights of performing arts professionals.

To achieve this within the ITI, the ITI Centres, the Cooperating Members and individual members of the organization shall be guided by the principles of mutual respect of the national traditions of each country.

(Excerpt from ITI Charter 2014)