The first International Disability Art Festival 2024 jointly organised by Dhaka Theatre and British Council began at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka on Friday.
The two-day festival titled 鈥業nternational Disability Art Festival 2024鈥� has been organised in association with cultural affairs ministry and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy with the support of Sundaram and the Institute of Informatics and Development.
The event is celebrating the creativity of artistes with disabilities through film screenings, exhibitions, panel discussions and others.
Social welfare minister Dipu Moni, who was present as chief guest, inaugurated the festival at the National Theatre Hall of the BSA.
Deputy high commissioner and development director of the British high commission in Dhaka Matt Cannell; Graeae Theatre Company artistic director Jenny Sealey; director Bangladesh, British Council, Shannon West; Dhaka Theatre president and festival director Nasir Uddin Yousuff and IID chief executive officer Syeed Ahamed were present at the inaugural ceremony.
Dipu Moni said that the government of Bangladesh was sincere about supporting persons with disabilities and the social welfare ministry was working to support 13 kinds of persons with disabilities.
鈥業n many ways, persons with disabilities are more creative than us,鈥� said Dipu Moni, adding that they can prove their talents if they are given the opportunity.
Nasir Uddin Yousuff said that artistes with disabilities did not get enough opportunities to showcase their talents.
Sundaram, a theatre platform for persons with disabilities, has been working to create a platform for artistes with disabilities to spread arts among them, added Nasir Uddin Yousuff.
Syeed Ahamed said that family members discriminate against persons with disabilities in society.
He urged all to work for abolishing discrimination against persons with disabilities and work for their equal rights.
Around 240 artistes with disabilities are showcasing their talent at the festival.
Artistes with disabilities staged five theatrical productions, namely 鈥楴oishobde Ekattor鈥� under the direction of Ramesh Meyyappan, 鈥楥ircus Circus鈥� under Mostiafiz Shahin, 鈥楾ribeni鈥� under Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed, 鈥楰endro Borabor Surangotir Naam Prithibi鈥� under Esha Yousuf and Rafiqul Islam and 鈥榃asteland 鈥� A Journey鈥� under Sanjay Ganguly on the opening day.
鈥楴oishobde Ekattor鈥� is a disability-inclusive theatre performance which portrays the story of the birth of Bangladesh through physical storytelling techniques. The 30-minute performance features 15 artists with disabilities from eight divisional cities of Bangladesh and focuses on the War of Independence portraying the story of the birth of Bangladesh 鈥� how it was before, how the war started and the consequences of the war. Artists with disabilities depict the historical journey using physical storytelling techniques on stage.
The opening day also featured a panel discussion on disability representation in the art sector and a day-long exhibition titled 鈥極dommo Shilpotshob鈥�.
The concluding day of the festival will feature two panel discussions titled 鈥楤reaking Barriers for Accessible Arts鈥� and 鈥楩unding Inclusion for Disability Arts鈥� at the seminar room of BSA, screening of three films titled 鈥楤ihanga鈥�, directed by Abdullah Al Mamun; 鈥楢lo Amar Alo鈥�, directed by Shuvashis Sinha and 鈥楴ame Me Lawand鈥�, directed by Edward Lovelace.
Besides, artistes with disabilities will stage five theatrical productions titled 鈥極topor Karim Bawali鈥�, 鈥楽hongoti鈥�, 鈥楰ajol Rekha鈥�, 鈥楶ittrigon鈥� and 鈥楽hwapno Kahon鈥�.
State minister for cultural affairs Naheed Ezaher Khan is scheduled to be present at the concluding ceremony of the festival on Saturday.
