MOROCCO - The Moroccan city of Tangiers, that dates back to the 5th century BC, has been enriched by many civilisations and cultures. Tangier has been a refuge for many cultures, including the Berbers and the Phoenicians, while later witnessing independence in the 1950s. Today, this historic Moroccan city is about to witness ‘Performing Transformations', an international conference to be held from June 1st to 4th. Hosted by the International Centre for Performance Studies (ICPS), its full title is the ‘Eighth Annual Conference of Performance, Dialogue and Debate'. “Against the backdrop of the Arab Spring, the theme of transformation and performance is especially timely and has generated immense interest," Khalid Amine, Conference Convener and a well-known Moroccan critic, told The Egyptian Gazette. Participants are coming this year from more than 20 countries (Morocco, USA, Egypt, the United Kingdom, France, Ireland, Australia, Spain, Libya, Germany, Portugal, South Africa, Italy, Mexico, Chile, Finland, Iran, India, Tunisia, Austria, Algeria and Russia). This year's programme is rich and diverse, featuring panel sessions, workshops, performances, and artistic exhibitions and interventions. Receptions and gala dinners will provide space for further interactions. A fascinating and expanded public agenda, with distinguished artists from around the world, extends the reach out into the streets and the larger community. Among many distinguished participants, the conference will especially honour Professor Fischer-Lichte (head of the DFG Collaborative Research Centre ‘Performing Cultures' and Director of BMBF International Research Centre ‘Interweaving Cultures in Performance'), and the Moroccan playwright, Mohammed Kaouti. For the first time, the conference will present the Arabic Translation of The Transformative Power of Performance by Erika Fischer-Lichte, in the presence of the translator, Marwa Mahdi from Egypt. Also for the first time in the English language, it will present Kaouti's seminal work, No Man's Land.
