World Theatre Education Alliance 2017 International Theatre Festival Opened in Changping Campus of the Central Academy of Drama, China

On the afternoon of October 20th, 2017, the opening ceremony of World Theatre Education Alliance 2017 International Theatre Festival was held at the Proscenium Stage Theatre in Changping Campus of the Central Academy of Drama, China. Leaders from China Drama Association as well as teachers and students from the Central Academy of Drama (China), Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film Georgia State University (Georgia), Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Art (Germany), Toho Gakuen College of Drama and Music (Japan), Chung-Ang University (Korea), The Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Warsaw (Poland), Russian State Institute of Performing Arts (Russia), Kiev National I.K.Karpenko – Kary University of Theatre, Cinema and Television (Ukraine), Guildhall School of Music & Drama (UK), Russian Institute of Theatre Art- GITIS (Russia) and Stockholm University of the Arts (Sweden) attended the opening ceremony, which was hosted by Professor Chen Gang, director of the Acting Department, the Central Academy of Drama and jury member of this Festival.

Lin Yongjun, chairman of China Drama Association, addressed the opening ceremony. He first extended his sincere greetings to domestic and foreign theatre education experts and students who came to the festival. He emphasized that theatre was the essence of each country’s traditional arts, bringing together different cultures and people to create a cooperative new world full of hope. Since the 18thNational Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed the importance of cultural self-confidence: "The prosperity of a country and a nation is always supported by cultural prosperity. The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation needs to be conditioned by the development and prosperity of Chinese culture." President Xi's speech is a major national cultural development strategy, which has made theoretical guidance for the reform and development of our theatre education as well as put forward higher requirements for our theatre education workers.

Professor Hao Rong, Secretary- General of the World Theatre Education Alliance and Vice President of the Central Academy of Drama, China made a speech. He introduced that the World Theatre Education Alliance is an academic exchanges and cooperation platform, which was launched in September 2015 on the basis of the UNESCO Chair on Theatre Education (China) and jointly formed by the world's leading theatre institutions from 12 countries. A year ago, Preparatory Meeting of World Theatre Education Alliance was held at the Changping Campus of the Central Academy of Drama. We signed the Alliance Declaration, adopted the Bylaws and agreed to hold the WTEA International Theatre Festival every two years. Today we are gathering here, performing Shakespearean classic repertoire, showing the teaching achievements and sharing teaching experience, we shall jointly promote the exchanges and cooperation in theatrical culture. Theatre not only enriches people's cultural life and enhances the country's cultural soft power, but also plays an important role in purifying people's minds and enhancing people's moral and cultural qualities with its unique artistic charm. By increasing contacts with various countries, the WTEA International Theatre Festival provides a platform for friends from different countries on drama education to exchange ideas, learn from each other, and make progress together and it has great significance in promoting mutual respect and understanding among different cultures as well as promoting the peaceful development and harmonious coexistence of all countries in the world.

Professor Hao Rong, Secretary- General of the World Theatre Education Alliance and Vice President of the Central Academy of Drama declared the opening of the Festival.

At the end of the opening ceremony, guests, teachers and students from all over the world enjoyed fragments performance of Peking Opera "Splendid Operatic Circle" by students from Peking Opera Department, "Collection of Musical Theatre Episodes" and fragment of "Hairspray " by students from Musical Theatre Department, "Collection of Russian Songs" by teachers and students from the Western Opera Department as well as dancing show "Knight" and "Chinese Folk Dance" by students from Dance Theatre Department, which displayed our students' solid basic skills and rich stage practical ability and won the warm applause of the audience.

9 plays will be presented during the WTEA International Theatre Festival. All participating institutions would perform for around an hour on Shakespeare's famous tragedy "Lear King", and brought nine theatre workshops conducted by professors or scholars from the participating institutes in an interactive way. Awards for performances will be announced at the closing ceremony on October 25th, 2017.

On the morning of 20th, the World Theatre Education Alliance held a meeting to vote on the application of Russian Institute of Theatre Art- GITIS, Russia to join the Alliance. All the participants agreed its application and it officially became a member of the World Theatre Education Alliance. This made the two universities in the world that have the UNESCO Chair on theatre education once again joined hands to deepen their cooperation.

On the occasion of the opening of the 19th National Congress of Communist Party of China, the Central Academy of Drama, China hosted the WTEA 2017 International Theatre Festival, which actively responded the call of General Secretary Xi Jinping's emphasis on "accelerating the construction of first-class universities and first-class disciplines to achieve the connotative development of higher education"; "Building a powerful education is the foundation work for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation. We must give priority to education, speed up the modernization of education and do a good job in satisfying people's expectation on education." In the coming days, the academy will, as always, never forget what we started, keep its mission in mind and make unremitting efforts to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.