Prof Israfeel Shaheen to represent Bangladesh at Asia-Pacific theatre summit

Professor Dr Israfeel Shaheen of the University of Dhaka will represent Bangladesh on the global stage as a keynote speaker at the 18th Asia-Pacific Bond of Theatre Schools (APB) Festival and Directors' Conference 2025, to be held at the Shanghai Theatre Academy (STA) from 28 November to 4 December next year. 

The invitation marks a significant moment for Bangladeshi theatre scholarship, placing a local academic voice at one of the region's most influential platforms for performance research, collaboration and pedagogy.

Photo: courtesy

The festival coincides with the 80th anniversary of STA, a leading institution in global theatre education. Alongside his keynote address, Professor Shaheen will conduct masterclasses, workshops, seminars and symposium sessions throughout the week. His presentations will focus on his work in prison theatre, juvenile correctional theatre and therapeutic theatre within mental health institutions—areas that position theatre not only as performance, but as intervention, rehabilitation and social transformation.

Established in 2008, the Asia-Pacific Bond of Theatre Schools is a UNESCO-ITI–affiliated network connecting theatre institutions across the region. The 2025 edition will gather directors, scholars, students and practitioners from more than 25 institutions across China, India, Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Bangladesh. STA, a founding member, last hosted the conference in its 16th edition, and its current president, Professor Huang Changyong, serves as APB President for 2023–2025.

The festival will feature director-level dialogues on theatre education and cross-border collaboration, alongside student showcases and performances from participating institutions. Academic forums and roundtable discussions will examine performance theory, pedagogy and industry challenges, while panels on international touring, funding and production models will explore shifting modes of distribution and cultural exchange. Workshops and masterclasses will cover acting methodologies, directing practice, movement, scenography and stage technology.

Professor Shaheen's involvement signals Bangladesh's deepening engagement in the region's performance networks. His work blends local cultural narratives with contemporary research on theatre in institutional and marginalised contexts—situating Bangladesh within broader conversations on art, policy and community impact. His participation is expected to facilitate further academic collaboration and exchange between Bangladeshi institutions and their Asia-Pacific counterparts.

The 2025 conference is expected to be a landmark edition, reflecting on eight decades of STA's contributions to theatre arts, pedagogy and intercultural collaboration, while also mapping emerging trends across the region's evolving performance landscape.