International Dance Day is a global festival of dance, created by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute (ITI), the main partner of UNESCO's performing arts. The event takes place on April 29 every year, the anniversary of the birth of Jean-Georges Novre (1727-1810), the creator of the modern ballet. The day seeks to encourage participation and education in dance through events and festivals held around the world. UNESCO formally identifies ITI as the creator and organizer of the event.
Every year since its creation in 1982, an outstanding dance personality is selected to write a message for International Dance Day. ITI also creates a major event in a selected host city, which includes dance performances, educational workshops, humanitarian projects, and speeches by ambassadors, dignitaries, dance personalities, and selected message writers for that year. This day is a day of celebration for those who can see the value and importance of dance as art, and act as a wake-up to governments, politicians, and institutions who have not yet recognized the value of it to the people.
To help make International Dance Day public every year, the International Theatre Institute chooses an outstanding personality to become a message writer for the event from the world of dance. In the message, it is hoped that the author can underline the relevance and power of dance. Previous authors include Trisha Brown, Alicia Alonso, and Mars Cunningham. As 2018 marked the 70th anniversary of ITI, 5 message writers were selected for the 2018 event, one of every 5 UNESCO areas. There were 5 writers; Georgette Gebara (Lebanon, Arab countries), Salia Sanau (Burkina Faso, Africa), Marianella Ban (Cuba, The United States), Willie Saso (China, Asia-Pacific), and Ohad Nahrin (Israel, Europe).
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