Monday 16 March 2026 is World Theatre of the Oppressed Day, which marks the birthday of Augusto Boal. This year, in celebration, join Theatre of the Oppressed NYC and Friends of Ashtar Theatre as we host an online presentation by Iman Aoun, co-founder and executive director of Ashtar Theatre in Ramallah, Palestine. Iman will share about Ashtar Theatre’s Forum Theatre projects, as well as the current context of the organization’s work, including a pilot for a theatre academy.
We invite attendees to make a donation to support Ashtar Theatre’s work, which has been severely financially affected as Western funding sources stopped working with Palestinian institutions, or requested that the theatre return funds. In addition, the theatre has chosen to boycott some sources of funding.
About Ashtar Theatre
ASHTAR is a dynamic local Palestinian Theatre with a truly progressive global perspective. We aim to promote creativity and commitment for change through a novel combination of specific training and acting programs and services and professional theatre performances. If a marginalized audience is unable to come to our main location in Ramallah, we move our stage to these often remote areas to include everyone. One of ASHTAR’s pioneering specialties is a highly successful genre known as Forum Theatre. The purpose of Forum Theatre is to promote a more active dialogue and commitment for change within the society. This theatre form engages the audience to interact on stage with essential social and political issues, transforming a commonly passive audience into pro-active and involved participants. In essence, Forum Theatre is a vital and engaging democracy-building tool. Through the use of the integrated methods of Forum Theatre, ASHTAR stands as an agent of change in Palestine.
About Iman Aoun
Iman co-founded ASHTAR for Theatre Productions and Training in 1991, and became its artistic director until 2021, when she became the executive director of ASHTAR Theatre. Aoun is best known for her dexterity as a theatre maker, seen by the international community as an accomplished director, producer, actor, dramaturge, and intellectual. She was the initiator and the driving force behind major international undertakings such The Gaza Monologues (2010) (2023), ASHTAR International Youth Theatre Festival (2012), and The Syrian Monologues (2015). Her works often focus on grassroots, indigenous, youth, and women empowerment to resist the occupation, gender disparity, international donor agendas, corruption, and political stagnation. Over nearly four decades in the theatre, Aoun has been recognized with prestigious awards from the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre (1996), UN-Equity-Now-USA (2000), Cairo Youth Regional Festival (2005), Algiers Arab Theatre Festival (2009), Yemeni Ministry of Culture (2010), CEC Arts-Link (2013), Palestinian Ministry of Culture (2014, 2017), and Palestinian Ministry of Women’s Affairs (2016). She was Finalist at The Gilder Coigney International Theatre Award by LPTW (2020) and her debut documentary film directing The Gaza Monologues; ten years and the dream continues.. won multiple international awards. She is a founder and board member of The Palestinian Performing Arts Network and other Palestinian Arts Organizations.
