TEHRAN -- The 21st Tehran-Mobarak International Puppet Theatre Festival continues in Tehran, bringing together children, families and theatre artists through performances and activities celebrating the art of puppetry.
Held at Tehran’s City Theatre Complex and other festival venues, the six-day event places children’s imagination and participation at the center of its program, encouraging young audiences to engage with theatre beyond the role of spectators.
The festival’s opening celebrations featured children carrying handmade or purchased puppets alongside their parents, artists, photographers and passers-by, transforming the complex’s outdoor grounds into a lively public gathering.
On its third day, the festival highlighted the importance of puppet theatre as an accessible introduction to the performing arts. By combining live storytelling, visual creativity and physical interaction, the event offered children opportunities to explore characters, narratives and imaginative forms of expression.
A distinctive feature of this year’s festival is its invitation for children to bring their own puppets and take part in the celebrations. The initiative encourages them to become active participants in the theatrical experience, blurring the traditional boundaries between performers and audiences.
The festival also underscores the value of live cultural activities at a time when digital screens occupy an increasing share of children’s attention. Through puppetry and face-to-face engagement, it provides an opportunity for families to experience theatre as a shared activity.
The event welcomes a broad range of participants, including professional artists, students, academics, theatre enthusiasts and members of the public. Its open and inclusive approach seeks to bring the performing arts beyond conventional theatre halls and into public spaces.
Outdoor performances have attracted young audiences during previous editions of the festival. This year’s emphasis on participation builds on that tradition by encouraging children not only to watch performances but also to contribute to the creative atmosphere.
Puppet theatre can play an important role in nurturing artistic curiosity from an early age, potentially inspiring future generations of performers, designers and theatre audiences.
Beyond its performances, the festival seeks to preserve Iran’s puppet theatre heritage, identify emerging talent and strengthen the relationship between cultural institutions and the wider public.
Running from October 17 to 22, the festival offers a platform for celebrating puppetry as both a theatrical tradition and a means of encouraging creativity, cultural participation and intergenerational connection.