2023 YEAR OF THE GREATEST MIMES

A worldwide celebration of the

100th birthday of Marcel Marceau and the 125th birthday of Etienne Decroux

Dear friends,

After a few weeks of discussions among members of the World Mime Organisation about marking important dates in 2023, especially 100 years since the birth of Marcel Marceau on March 22^nd, which is also the World Mime Day and 125 years since the birth of Etienne Decroux on 18^th of July, it was unanimously decided to officialy declare:

2023 THE YEAR OF THE GREATEST MIMES

A worldwide celebration of the

100^th birthday of Marcel Marceau and the 125^th birthday of Etienne Decroux

This is a rare and special opportunity for all of us around the world to intensively perform, teach and promote mime, educate and entertain the audience, inspire communities and engage local and national governments, theaters, cultural institutions and media.

In the history of mime we see that the art of mime was thriving as long as one artist was popular and with him or her dying, it seemed as the mime was dying too.

The World Mime Organisation aims to stop that effect and have mime, in any form, media or space be present and prosper at all times. Respect without judging and competing, for all forms, styles, techniques, teachings, schools, philosophies and personalities of mime is crucial for the survival and development of mime and all its practitioners and lovers.

Mime is possibly the first art of mankind, it exists in all cultures and it is understood by everybody because

Mime is the Language of All and as such Mime is the Language of Peace

This year can be a milestone for everyone to learn, respect and celebrate what our predecessors have left us and, instead of being stuck in repetition and imitation, to build on their legacy, move forward and explore and develop new creativity, new media, new techniques, new teachings, new followers.

Let us find extra energy in ourselves to organize, create, communicate and promote (equally important activities) events, letters, research, analogue and digital content in all spaces and media, to engage as many people as possible, educate the audience about mime and celebrate Marceau and Decroux and all the others, in order to open the stage for the greats of the 21st century.

If you want to join the celebration with your activity and have the support of the World Mime Organisation please write to 2023@worldmime.org

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