School theater in Egypt…a new national policy for building talent and promoting sustainable development

School theater in Egypt…a new national policy for building talent and promoting sustainable development

School theater is no longer just a stage for artistic performances among school students, but rather it has become a cultural tool that carries within it an exceptional ability to create awareness, consolidate values, and build humanity. In a time when economic, social and environmental challenges are intertwined, theater stands out as an essential tributary ofsustainable development; It contributes to achieving its goals through its educational, cultural and humanitarian role.

Based on this importance, Cairo concluded – in an atmosphere in which culture and education mixed – the activities of the conference “Towards a National Policy for Developing School Theater,” which was organized by the National Center for Theater, Music and Popular Arts, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Education, in a scene that reflected a growing awareness of the role of school theater in building awareness and strengthening national identity.

Therefore,The Earth Guards Foundationwill address the activities of this international event through an in-depth reading of its educational and cultural dimensions, while highlighting its role in linking human building with Egypt’s march towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); So keep reading.

Cultural development in focus

The conference, which lasted for two consecutive days – from August 30 to 31 – witnessed wide participation from theater makers, researchers, and those concerned with educational affairs. To be a road map to a new future for school theater in Egypt.

The importance of this conference lies in its being a cultural event, and a strong link betweenCultural Developmentand the comprehensive Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where art meets education in a national project that aims to create the integrated Egyptian human being; The school theater has become a spacious space for renewing values and training young people incritical thinking, teamwork and creativity, which are essential elements for achieving sustainable human development.

Roadmap towards cultural sustainability

The recommendations approved by the conference body came to reflect a comprehensive vision that goes beyond the limits of theater as a stand-alone art, to being a strategic tool for development. The conference called for the formulation of an integrated national policy for school theatre, which means that the state is moving towards an organized and sustainable approach in dealing with this sector, away from scattered initiatives or individual efforts.

The most prominent aspects of the recommendations:

• Qualifying theatrical cadresof teachers and specialists and refining their skills to ensure the quality ofTechnical education.
• Launching a digital platform and integrated databaseto document and manage school theater activities and keep pace with digital transformation.
• Opening state theaters for distinguished school performancesTo enhance students’ self-confidence and highlight their creativity.
• Restarting theatrical meetings between studentsat various stages to increase social and cultural ties.

These recommendations carry an educational vision that makes theater part of the sustainable education system, which places Egypt in an advanced position among countries that realize that development begins with building a person from his early years.

Theater is an educational tool

The recommendations focused on training final-year students at the Institute of Dramatic Arts and theater departments in the faculties of arts, specific education, and educational media within public schools, as a practical solution to fill the shortage in cadres.

In addition, the conference body recommended the inclusion of competitions in criticism, drama, and theatrical writing, and the establishment of a visual library specializing in theatrical performances. So that we can open new horizons for students to practice critical thinking and creativity.

School theater and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The proposed initiatives are clearly linked to SDG 4:Quality Education, as well as SDG 16:Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; Theater contributes to enhancing dialogue and building generations capable of constructive criticism.

Model for Partnerships for Development

One of the most prominent features of the conference is the repeated emphasis on cooperation between the Ministries of Culture and Education, in addition to the other relevant ministries. For this model of government partnerships to be a national image that reflects the spirit of the seventeenth goal:Forging partnerships to achieve the goals, as no major national project can succeed without integration of roles.

The recommendations touched on activating cooperation protocols in:

• Playwriting.
• Curriculum Theater.
• Theatrical readings.
• Puppet making and animation.

An initiative was also put forward to hold a round table for special education theater, and to discuss the possibility of using it as a therapeutic tool, reflecting interest in the rights of people withspecial needsand community integration.

Towards a national festival for school theater

The conference did not stop at the theoretical recommendations. Rather, director Adel Hassan – head of the National Theater Center – announced preparations for launching the “Egyptian National Festival for School Theater”, which is expected to be a qualitative leap in making theater part of the national identity, and a platform for expression and creativity from childhood.

The upcoming festival will be more than just an artistic event, it aims to:

• Developing students’ technical and educational skills.
• Supporting the values of cultural belonging and diversity.
• Promoting community participation through school presentations.

The establishment of a national school theater festival places Egypt at the forefront of countries that employ the arts in the service of development, and makes school theater a strategic tool for forming a conscious generation capable of contributing to achieving the 2030 sustainable development agenda.

Gateway towards sustainable development

The National Conference for the Development ofSchool TheaterIt was not a passing event, but rather a foundational station for a national project that links culture and education, and makes theater a tool for building people and shaping the conscience of generations. The recommendations, policies and projects announced clearly indicate a firm Egyptian trend towards restoring the role of school theater in establishing sustainable educational awareness.

But most importantly, this trend is inseparable from the process of sustainable development, but rather lies at its core, through investing in human capital, strengthening national identity, and devoting the values of creativity and teamwork. As Egypt prepares to launch the National School Theater Festival, the decisive step will be to transform these recommendations into a tangible reality within schools.

From this trend emerges the message ofThe Earth Guards Foundation: Sustainable development is not achieved through economic or environmental policies only, but rather it begins from the simplest educational and cultural details, which create a conscious human being and build a generation capable of protecting the earth and preserving its future.