International Drama and Theatre Education Association

After the second world war, UNESCO - the United Nations Education, Science and Cultural Organisation, recognised the unique role that arts education can play in the creation of a culture of peace, international understanding, social cohesion and sustainable development. It was not until 1992 that the International Drama and Theatre Education Association was founded. IDEA's aim is to promote and advocate drama and theatre as part of a full human education and to provide an international forum for those working as drama and theatre educators throughout the world. IDEA encompasses the integral place of drama and theatre education in pre-schools, primary, secondary and tertiary education. IDEA also supports community based drama/theatre groups and drama/theatre practitioners around the world. IDEA is a founding member of the WAAE, the World Alliance for Arts Education, along with the WDA (World Dance Alliance), ISME (International Society for Music Education), and InSEA (International Society for Education through Art.) The aim of the world alliance is to "allow citizens to be enriched through the arts to allow confident, flexible intelligences, creative verbal and non-verbal communication skills, abilities to think critically and imaginatively, intercultural understandings and an empathetic commitment to cultural diversity in our knowledge based post-industrial societies." [1] IDEA was an important participant in UNESCO's first arts education conference in Lisbon, Portugal in 2006, and continues to work with UNESCO.

IDEA Congresses have been held in:

• 1992 - Oporto, Portugal[2]
• 1995 - Brisbane, Australia[3]
• 1998 - Kisumu, Kenya[4]
• 2001 - Bergen, Norway[5]
• 2004 - Ottawa, Canada[2]
• 2007 - Hong Kong, SAR, China[6]
• 2010 - Pará, Brazil[7]
• 2013 - Paris, France[8]

The next IDEA World Congress will be held in Beijing, China, in July of 2020.

The 6th World IDEA Congress was held in 2007 in Hong Kong, SAR, China. Its theme was 'Planting Ideas'. Over 400 delegates attended from all over the world. Internationally respected drama and theatre arts practitioners were invited by the organising committee to delivered keynote addresses and conduct seminars, special interest groups and workshops. A host of different performances also took place during the congress highlighting Chinese Opera, Drama in Schools, Dance in Schools and Drama for the Disabled. Part of the congress was also committed to the world of young people. A "Young Idea" exchange took place in which a group of young people from all over the world came together under the direction of May Wong and devised an original piece of theatre, "Crossing II," expressing their mutual hopes and concerns for the future.

IDEA's current president is Robin Pascoe, Senior Lecturer Emeritus, Arts and Drama Education, School of Education, Murdoch University, Australia

• IDEA website