“A little bit of one story joins onto an idea from another, and hey presto, . . . not old tales but new ones. Nothing comes from nothing.”
― Salman Rushdie, Haroun and the Sea of Stories

Have you ever taken a moment to consider the journey of ASSITEJ? From conception to this moment in time, where you are sat as a member, or a curious individual, reading or hearing these words?

It’s incredible, really. It’s a chain of interwoven stories from across the world. All inspired by, building upon, and weaving into each other. Each thread bringing the beautiful uniqueness of their individual origin or context, but all sharing one single purpose; to build and strengthen the tapestry of theatre and performing arts for children and young people.

As I draft this in my little village in a beautiful Welsh valley, I am aware of the stories of others in the world we share, beyond the edges of ASSITEJ. Stories from home soil and abroad. Stories from influencers and politicians, and those that seek to create otherness and division. Stories from people seeking to remove the rights of children under the costume of safety; to remove choice under the mantle of ‘adults know better’.

But, one of the things I love about ASSITEJ, is how the members embrace one another whole-heartedly. There is an openness to shared experience, and discovery. There is a willingness to support and grow as a collective. I’ve witnessed this through many of the conversations and actions within the Executive Committee. It isn’t always easy, but with honest communications, we aim to ensure that our organisation is built on values that ensure creativity and a quality of life for our members, and the children and young people we seek to serve.

So, here is where you matter more now than ever.

We are soon going to ask for your support in an organisational benchmarking of the threads in the ASSITEJ metaphorical tapestry that we are weaving together. And, to ensure that as we weave, we acknowledge, with honesty, the gaps and the threads that are missing; that we actively seek out these missing threads, collectively enfolding them into our tapestry. The benchmarking will help you see who is not part of our TYA world and asks why?

These missing threads; their voices and their stories, will help us ensure a more vibrant, organic and holistic ASSITEJ of the future.

“The Pages of Gup, now that they had talked through everything so fully, fought hard, remained united, supported each other when required to do so, and in general looked like a force with a common purpose. All those arguments and debates, all that openness, had created powerful bonds of friendship between them.” ― Salman Rushdie, Haroun and the Sea of Stories

-Jon Dafydd-Kidd (Wales, ASSITEJ UK)