It was first in Helsinki, and then in Vienna at the 9th World Congress of the INTERNATIONAL THEATRE INSTITUTE in June 1961 that President Arvi Kivimaa proposed on behalf of the Finnish Centre of the International Theatre Institute that a WORLD THEATRE DAY be instituted. The proposal, backed by the Scandinavian centres, was carried with acclamation.

Ever since, each year on the 27th March (date of the opening of the 1962 "Theatre of Nations" season in Paris), World Theatre Day has been celebrated in many and varied ways by ITI National Centres of which there are now almost 100 throughout the world.

Set up in 1948, by UNESCO and world-renowned theatre personalities, the International Theatre Institute is the most important international non-governmental organization in the field of the performing arts enjoying formal relations (relations of consultation and association) with UNESCO. ITI seeks "to promote international exchange of knowledge and practice in the domain of the performing arts, to stimulate creation and increase cooperation between theatre people, to make public opinion aware of the necessity of taking artistic creation into consideration in the domain of development, to deepen mutual understanding in order to participate in strengthening peace and friendship among peoples, to join in the defence of the ideals and aims of UNESCO."

The events organized to celebrate World Theatre Day are attempts to realise these objectives. Each year a figure outstanding in theatre or a person outstanding in heart and spirit from another field, is invited to share his or her reflections on theatre and international harmony. What is known as the International Message is translated into more than 20 languages, read for tens of thousands of spectators before performances in theatres throughout the world and printed in hundreds of daily newspapers. Colleagues in the audio-visual field lend a fraternal hand, more than a hundred radio and television stations transmitting the Message to listeners in all corners of the five continents.

Jean Cocteau was the author of the first International Message in 1962. In 1993 the Venezuelan ITI Centre published two anthologies, one containing all the Messages from 1962 to 1993 in their original language versions and a second collection in Spanish .

World Theatre Day is an occasion for theatre people to celebrate the power of the performing arts to bring people together, it is an opportunity to share with their audiences a certain vision of their art and its capacity to contribute to understanding and peace between peoples.

As well as the wide diffusion of the International Message, the central feature of W.T.D since its inception in 1961, World Theatre Day has included numerous events in all corners of the world, ranging from the almost intimate demonstration to the big popular celebration.

Events taking place to mark WORLD THEATRE DAY include the following :

• International Festivals on the day or during the week or month including the 27th March. e.g. Japan, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Kuwait.
• Special performances : e.g. Belgium, Philippines, Cyprus, Tunisia, Romania, Sweden, Monaco, Spain, Zaire to name only a few.
• Symposia, Colloquia and Round table conferences on various aspects of the role of theatre in society. e.g. Greece, Bangladesh, Romania, F.Y.R. of Macedonia, India.
• Special Awards for excellence in Theatre and in Dance - in particular awards made in recognition of the international influence of the prize-winners' activities. e.g. British, Israeli, Polish, Uganda, Russian and German ITI Centres among others.
• Inauguration of new theatres, theatre museums, and theatrical exhibitions
• National messages in many countries e.g. Romania, Zimbabwe, Scandinavian and some Latin American countries.
• Articles in the press on theatre and commentaries on the International Message
• Radio and Television programmes on theatre, including those for special audiences. e.g. India, F.Y.R. of Macedonia and others
• Special broadcasts of dramatic productions on national and regional TV and radio stations
• Free performances or free theatre tickets traditionally available in some countries. e.g. Egypt, Chile, Spain, Greece, Belgium, Turkey. etc.
• Addresses by eminent national figures e.g. US, Scandinavian countries
• Decoration of theatres
• Popular balls, fairs and parades
• Special posters printed by ITI Centres for the occasion
• A special stamp which was issued by France on the first World Theatre Day, and in 1962 the Indian post cancelling the stamps on letters with an inscription celebrating the theatre and peace.
• Performances in aid of theatre charities e.g. Scandinavian countries, U.K.
• Many events seem to fulfil a number of functions. While all events manifest an international aspect World Theatre
• Day celebrations often provide an opportunity for urban and provincial theatre within a particular country to come closer together. Through free performances and radio and TV programmes which can reach both the confirmed theatre-lover and those who have never seen a play, theatre professionals also develop and enhance
• links with their audiences.

Numerous events are multi-faceted and often organized by Centres with limited means at their disposal. To give an example, the Bangladesh ITI Centre and the Federation of Theatre Groups of Bangladesh celebrate World Theatre Day with the participation of the whole theatre community. A parade in the streets of Dhaka brings together more than 1000 actors and actresses in theatre costumes. Theatre exhibitions are organized, followed in the evening by the traditional lecture on theatre in Bangladesh and theatre performances by the different theatre companies.