World Congress of the International Federation for Theater Research
Belgrade 9 – 13 July 2018
Belgrade this year is the center of cultural diplomacy in the world. It will be held for the first time by the International Federation for Theater Research (IFTR) from 9 to 13 July 2018, organized by the Faculty of Dramatic Arts.
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Ana Brnabić is the patron of the World Congress of the International Federation for Theater Research. This shows the importance of culture and projects that lead to interdisciplinary knowledge, leading to faster and more secure cultural and social development.
The President of the Organizing Committee of the World Congress in 2018 is Ivana Vujic, full professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts and Head of the Studio-Laboratory of Performing Arts. In the strongest competition of the largest cities in the world and the most elite cultural and educational institutions, the Studio-Laboratory of Performing Arts of the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade won the organization of this exceptional event.
The Faculty of Dramatic Arts celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, and it is an outstanding honor to host this world congress. There will be over 1000 participants in Belgrade – professionals, theorists and practitioners of theaters and performing arts. Congress will enrich more than 80 volunteers from all over the world and Serbia.
The theme of this year’s World Congress is: Theater and Migration – Theater, Nation and Identity between Migration and Real Estate.
The World Congress approaches the themes of theater and migration by asking questions: How did theater, performing arts and performance respond to exile, displacement, and otherness, through history, but even today? How has the migration process been shaped and transformed into numerous political, social, cultural and artistic activities? Lecturers and participants will look at this topic from different angles – the issues of intermediality in the theater will be examined to the political performance, from the culture of the left, inclusion, critical thinking to performing expressions.
Participants from 54 countries will speak and discuss the topic of migration and non-movement, which is a very useful and powerful impulse for changes in critical and creative thinking, as well as artistic creation.
At the congress will be attended by the world’s best known theoreticians and practitioners such as: Dr. Marvin Karlson and Dr. Gene Gear Jones (USA), Dr. Bishopriya Dat, (India), Dr Janel Reinnel (Great Britain) Mivon Li (South Korea), Hana Korsberg Finland), Dr Paul Re (Australia), Milena Gras (Chile), Hajato Kosuge (Japan), Halid Amin (Morocco), Elaine Eston (Sweden), Viki An Cremona (Malta), Kristofer Balme Dr. Stephen Wilmer (Ireland), Dr. Boris Dausa Pastor (Spain) and many others from 54 countries of the world.
Ivana Vujić, President of the Organizing Committee, is very proud of the organizing team that has done everything to make the congress well prepared, consisting of: main coordinators Ana Konstantinović, Ph.D. student of FDU and Željko Maksimović, graduated student of FDU. The design and finishing of the exterior, interior and accompanying materials were done by the state. Svetlana Volic, assistant professor FLU and artist Dusica Knezevic. The team of FDU students was Bojana Karajović, Miljana Martinović, Katrijna Dimitrijević, master student Isidora Goncić, Una Pavlović student FPU, Helena Kominac, FDU student and Gorjan Stojiljković, graduated student of FMU. From the Rectorate of the University of Art in the team is an expert associate mr Predrag Miladinović and students of interdisciplinary master studies Ružica Radulović and Jelena Bratonožić. PRs were conducted by Sanja Ljumović and Slavica Hinić from Bitef Theater. Expert assistance to the team was given by Prof. FDU, Vlatko Ilić.
The organizing committee of the congress, with its care and love, helped a lot in the preparation of the congress, consisting of: Mr. Zoran Erić, rector of the University of Arts, Miloš Pavlović, Dean of the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, as well as professors Dr. Ivan Medenica and Dr. Milena Dragićević Šešić.
More than 80 volunteers from around the world from Mexico City to Jagodina will be engaged in this congress and will have the opportunity to gain new knowledge and new contacts.
Pavle Knežević