The 50th annual World Theatre Day, which is March 27, will see John Malkovich give the opening address which will make him the first American actor to do so. He will deliver this year's message at the headquarters of UNESCO in Paris on March 22.
Jean Cocteau delivered the first World Theatre Day message in 1962, and the list of past World Theatre Day messengers includes Judi Dench, Vaclav Havel, Peter Brook, Wole Soyinka, Eugene Ionesco, Ellen Stewart, Richard Burton, Luchino Visconti, Pablo Neruda, Laurence Olivier and Arthur Miller.
Here's what Malkovich will say:
I'm honored to have been asked by the International Theatre Institute ITI at UNESCO to give this greeting commemorating the 50th anniversary of World Theatre Day. I will address my brief remarks to my fellow theatre workers, peers and comrades.
“May your work be compelling and original. May it be profound, touching, contemplative, and unique. May it help us to reflect on the question of what it means to be human, and may that reflection be blessed with heart, sincerity, candor, and grace. May you overcome adversity, censorship, poverty and nihilism, as many of you will most certainly be obliged to do.
“May you be blessed with the talent and rigor to teach us about the beating of the human heart in all its complexity, and the humility and curiosity to make it your life's work. And may the best of you – for it will only be the best of you, and even then only in the rarest and briefest moments – succeed in framing that most basic of questions, ‘how do we live?' Godspeed.”
John Malkovich
via latimes.com – photo by Christian Coigny / WENN

Graham Spicer is a writer, director and photographer in Milan, blogging (under the name ‘Gramilano') about dance, opera, music and photography for people “who are a bit like me and like some of the things I like”. He was a regular columnist for Opera Now magazine and wrote for the BBC until transferring to Italy.
His scribblings have appeared in various publications from Woman's Weekly to Gay Times, and he wrote the ‘Danza in Italia' column for Dancing Times magazine.
I mentioned before that Malkovich is my favorite actor of all time. Brilliant man, fantastic mind. Thank you for sharing his wisdom once more.
hello dear all,
in ankara turkey we organise “ethos ankara international theater festival”, 6th ethos festival will happen during 22-31 march 2012, this year i invited tarnel abbott who is grand grand daugther of jack london, in the festival she will make a speech on “iron heel fascism and wall street occupations” with the documentary film “rise like lions”. next year we communicate and cooperate and make somethings together,
ayhanyuzubenli@gmail.com
ayhanyuzubenli@hotmail.com
mobile : + 90 505 306 01 97
Heartfelt and inspiring message from John Malkovich on World Theatre Day May your work be compelling and original.. http://t.co/5aWxra03
John Malkovich’s World Theatre Day message http://t.co/zZqQ5XEo via @AddThis
John Malkovich’s World Theatre Day message http://t.co/mh68Cixd
Reading John Malkovich’s World Theatre Day message X Marthe http://t.co/2ZwMPkqX #wisdom