On September 26, the 6th Presidents' Conference of the World Theatre Education Alliance (WTEA) was held at the Central Academy of Drama (CAD), attended by delegates of member schools from China, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Republic of Korea, Russia, the USA, and the UK. Professor Hao Rong, Secretary-General of WTEA and President of the CAD, served as the moderator.

The conference began with a report on the Alliance's activities held from 2022 to 2023. Then attendees deliberated and voted on 3 propositions, including: 1) Action Plan for WTEA International Theatre Festival 2025, which would be held in China and feature two themes, ‘Dream’ and ‘Love’ for participants to choose; 2) Amendment of the Bylaws; 3) New Applications for Membership. They were all passed unanimously. Specifically, with the applications by the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) and the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA) being accepted, the Alliance witnessed an increase in the number of its member schools to 16. The inclusion of new members will enhance the Alliance's diversity, fostering dialogue among cultures and promoting the prosperity of global theatre education.

Subsequently, a heated discussion on ‘AI and Theatre Art’ was conducted. Inspired by the essay by Mr. Konstantinos Arvanitakis that explored the pros and cons of AI in artistic fields, attendees shared their observations and insights in this regard, supported by vivid examples, leaving enriched perspectives of the impact of AI on drama arts.

After the conference, the delegates were invited to the opening ceremony of the "Theatre in the East: Nanluoguxiang Theatrical Season 2024," hosted by the Publicity Department and Cultural and Tourism Bureau of CPC Committee of Dongcheng District in Beijing. There, they enjoyed performance of excerpts from a Kun opera, ‘Peony Pavilion’, a modern dance, ‘A Kite from Winter’, modern dramas, ‘Echoes of Theatrical Dawn’ and ‘The Butterfly Lovers’ and a musical, ‘Fame’. These shows highlighted the diversity of Chinese drama and its integration with global culture.

On September 27, the delegates dived into Beijing's cultural landmarks in Dongcheng District, visiting the Temple of Heaven and Red Bridge Market to experience traditional Chinese culture and modern art in the beautiful landscape of autumn.

This conference addressed key issues within the Alliance, leading it closer to the goal of strengthening exchange among theatre schools globally. Looking into the future, WTEA will focus on frontier issues in drama, optimize cooperative mechanism, and celebrate the diverse educational philosophies and practices in theatre.