ASSITEJ South Africa connects and supports theatre practitioners, companies, organisations, institutions and schools across the country, who share a belief in the transformative difference that theatre and the performing arts make in the lives of children and young people, inspiring imaginations, shifting perceptions, teaching empathy and building our nation. It is the national centre for ASSITEJ (the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People), which works in around 100 countries across the world and was founded in 1965 in Paris. ASSITEJ SA serves to build the sector of theatre for young audiences in South Africa through supporting and developing the network of artists, empowering education through the performing arts, creating strategies for access to the arts, and advocating for the role of the arts as an essential right of every child and young person. As a network organisation, ASSITEJ SA brings together all those working in the arts and arts education for the benefit of children and youth, from township youth with a passion for the arts to the most resourced theatres in our country. It is served by an experienced, hard working and talented board and staff, and has a pool of diverse and effective facilitators coming from its membership. As a result of this combined expertise, ASSITEJ SA is the acknowledged leader in Arts education in South Africa, and a partner of the Department of Basic Education in delivering the Creative Arts curriculum. In 2017, ASSITEJ SA successfully hosted the 19th ASSITEJ World Congress and Performing Arts Festival in Cape Town – the first time this prestigious event was held on African soil; a game-changing and transformative advocacy opportunity for TYA on the continent. This 12 day event hosted 1390 official delegates (theatre professionals) attended, coming from 84 countries.