On 27th March, the world celebrates the 63rd edition of World Theatre Day, an initiative established in 1961 at the proposal of Finnish playwright Arvi Kivimaa during the 9th Congress of the International Theatre Institute (ITI).

The first World Theatre Day took place on 27th March 1962 in Paris, marking the opening of the Theatre of Nations season. Since then, it has been celebrated in over a hundred countries through ITI’s National Centres.

Each year, the occasion is highlighted by a message on theatre and peace delivered to the international community by a prominent figure from the performing arts.

Notable past contributors include Italian artists Luchino Visconti (1973) and Dario Fo (2013), as well as, more recently, Egyptian actress Samiha Ayoub (2023) and Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse (2024), whose message, Art is Peace, reflected on the deep connection between theatre, artistic expression, and the universal value of peace.

This year, the message has been entrusted to Greek actor, playwright, director, and pedagogue Theodoros Terzopoulos, who explores theatre’s ability to ‘hear the cry for help that our times are sending out in a world of impoverished citizens, locked in cells of virtual reality, entrenched in their suffocating privacy.’

On this occasion, rather than asking whether theatre, a form of art that has accompanied humanity for over three millennia, can resolve major global issues, we reflect on whether the stage and storytelling can still inspire society to critically engage with its weaknesses and mistakes.

‘Theatre’s ability to impact communities has been repeatedly proven throughout history, as evidenced by the suspicion with which those in power have often regarded it,’ says Paolo Quazzolo, Associate Professor of Theatre History at the University of Trieste.

‘Its ‘live’ nature, the magnetism of actors performing directly before an audience, the profound emotions evoked by the stage – these have often led to censorship attempts, though always in vain.
Theatre’s power has never waned, even in a society that, after centuries of gradual transformation, has undergone a rapid technological revolution. Cinema, television, digital media, and now the internet have all been strong competitors, yet theatre has survived, retaining its unique persuasive force.

In 2020, during the pandemic, theatres were among the first institutions to close. Organisers sought alternative solutions, often moving performances online, leading to fears that audiences might not return to physical theatres once the emergency ended. However, this was not the case—spectators eagerly returned, reaffirming the cultural, social, and political strength of theatre, which it will always continue to hold.’