TEHRAN – The central Iranian city of Yazd will be hosting the 28th edition of Iran’s International Theater Festival for Children and Young Adults, the organizers have announced. 

The festival that was originally set to take place in Hamedan has now been relocated to the city of Yazd, Mehr reported on Friday. 

The decision was taken to effectively organize and carry out the event, with the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance and Iran's Dramatic Arts Center engaged in discussions with Yazd's governorate, the report added. 

Earlier this month, an official with the provincial government of Hamedan announced that the city is prepared to host the upcoming edition of the festival. 

Despite the recent news claiming that Hamedan is incapable of hosting the children's theater festival due to a failure to adhere to standard protocols, the truth is that the city is fully prepared and equipped to successfully host the prestigious event, Mehdi Akhavan said. 

The culture ministry has the important responsibility of organizing various cultural and artistic events, such as theater festivals, he added.

These events are carefully managed and supervised by government organizations to ensure that resources are utilized efficiently, he explained. 

However, as part of a collaborative effort, Hamedan province has generously agreed to shoulder around 50 percent of the expenses related to accommodation and hospitality for festival guests, following previous agreements, he noted. 

The remarkable dedication and financial investment of Hamedan province in organizing the 27th edition of the festival cannot be overlooked, he stated. 

This year, with full preparation, the province expressed its desire to host the latest edition of the festival, he noted. 

In 2022, Iran’s International Theater Festival for Children and Young Adults returned after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic with participants from five countries.

Troupes from Italy, Greece, Turkey, Armenia and Iraq attended the festival in Hamedan to perform their latest productions.

The International Children and Youth Theater Festival is an annual event that has been held in Iran since 1993. The festival aims to promote theater and drama among children and young adults from all over the world, providing a platform for them to showcase their talent and experience different cultures.

During the festival, theater companies present productions that are designed specifically for children and young adults, using a mix of storytelling, music, dance, and visual effects. A range of educational and entertaining workshops are also organized alongside the performances, offering opportunities for festival attendees to learn new skills and techniques.

SAB/