Ashtar Theater, which this year falls on the 30th anniversary of its founding, supported by the British council-Digital collaborations, and in partnership with the British “Mandala Theater”, is preparing to launch the fifth edition of the Ashtar International Youth Theatre Festival, from 1-7 July 2021, under the theme “ARTIVISM “, for a cultural act that contributes to social change.

Local plays will be staged in front of the audience on the stage of Ramallah Municipal House, the festival’s permanent partner. On the other hand, due to the COVID-19 global restrictions, participant international plays will be streamed online on the festival’s website, in addition to the participating teams’ official social media, during the festival days.

In addition to theatrical performances, intensive training will be held throughout the festival and specialized workshops aimed at developing the skills of youth in the field of acting, raising their capabilities for social change, and enhancing their role in the development process, especially in marginalized communities, with the participation of different local groups, in which the participants are trained to New theatrical techniques.

Virtual conferences (webinars) will be held between youth from all participating countries, on the concept of Community Theater, issues of racism and discrimination, and the role of art in change.

Ashtar Theatre has been organizing the Youth Festival every two years since its first launch in 2012. Ashtar Theater, which was established in 1991, trains large number of Palestinian youth through the Drama Training Program, and many of plays produced and shown to Palestinian audiences in the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.