It is a pleasure to greet the Hong Kong IATC section on its 25th anniversary and to congratulate the Hong Kong critics for their impressive work. For a long time, you have been well known within the IATC for your high quality of criticism and your participation in international exchanges with a serious and open-minded work.

Both theatre criticism and the world change over the years. While theatre and other stage arts are in blossom, the profession of critic seems to have difficulties due to the new situation of the media. Printed newspapers still exist, but no paper owner in the world can happily look forward to profitable years to come. However, both the many artists in the theatre houses, producers and above all audiences appreciate the reviews and the expertise of the critics.

The critics have the capacity to write and talk in all kinds of media, and they do. Maybe the accelerating growth of the International Association of Theatre Critics is due to the discovery in globalized times of how much the critics have in common over national borders. Traditions may differ as do the possibilities to express oneself freely; yet there is a thirst for a qualified exchange of views on the arts of the stage.

Since the association was founded in Paris in 1956, it was by definition international. But today, international must be understood as truly accessible and represented all over the globe. For long the domination of European countries was obvious within the IATC, but today we note a new interest from nations in Latin America, Africa, and the Arab world. New member associations have been created in the last years in Argentina and Brazil, a regional Arab association was founded in Oman in 2016, and demands from other countries are under consideration. Hong Kong is already an old and mature member, with rich activities, like the impressing publications of the section which could inspire other, newer national associations.

By tradition the working languages of the IATC was English and French, and this is still the case. But with a more global profile we realize that other languages must be given a place when so wished for. The most important activities of the IATC, seminars for established critics and training seminars for young critics, are usually bilingual in French and English. However, seminars in Spanish, Arab or other internationally spread languages are to be wished for in combination with English, which is the lingua franca of today.

Theatre criticism is constantly developing and a faithful companion to the arts of the stage. The notion of “theatre” must be understood in the classical way, which means that critics might work with dance, music and other aspects of the performing arts. We are very proud of the web journal of the IATC, Critical Stages/Scènes critiques and its thematic issues. Thanks to critics in all parts of the world we are capable of covering more views and perspectives than other publications. Last year Critical Stages focused on dance, and the issue published in June this year is concentrating on African theatre and its situation.

Wishing the Hong Kong section of theatre critics all the best and good spirits in their work, I welcome your members taking part in all IATC activities around the world for the good example and exchange.

作者簡介：Margareta Sörenson為IATC總會主席

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