“Youth Theatre on Air” is an international online and radio festival of radio theater for children, teenagers, and young adults, jointly organized by three arts organizations: Poupoulo in Thessaloniki, Motivation in Arts in Paphos, and the Creative Drama & Arts Centre in Melbourne. Its aim is to bring the Greek language, culture, and theatrical expression to Greek communities worldwide through radio and the internet. Open to everyone, the initiative connects young Greeks from different parts of the world.
Every year since 2020, theater workshops and schools around the world have submitted their radio plays and performances. To date, more than 4,000 primary and secondary school students have participated, from Greece and Cyprus, as well as children from recent immigrant families and first-, second-, and third-generation Greek communities in Melbourne, Poland, and Czechia.
The festival has received consistent support from three major public broadcasters—ERT, SBS Australia, and the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC)—which have brought children’s voices to Greek communities abroad for seven years. Festival supporters include the National Theatre of Northern Greece, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the International Hellenic University, its Laboratory of Language, Language Teaching, and Culture in the Department of Early Childhood Education and Care, and La Trobe University in Australia.
Among the award-winning radio productions at the 7th Youth Theatre on Air was “The Quiltmaker’s Gift,” performed by students from Panagia Theoskepasti Gymnasium in Paphos, which received second prize in the secondary education category.
A group of students from the school took a heartwarming journey into the world of fairy tales with “The Quiltmaker’s Gift.” This beloved story was specially adapted for their participation in the Youth Theatre on Air festival.
Filled with warmth, the story explores the value of giving, love, and selflessness. It reminds us that the greatest gift is not what we keep for ourselves, but what we give to others.
Media partner: Voice of Greece – ERT