Japanese professor joins hands with Tiatr Academy in UNESCO effort
Prof Kyoko Matsukawa, a researcher and professor at Konan University, Japan visited the Tiart Academy of Goa on Tuesday.
MARGAO
Efforts to secure a UNESCO heritage tag for tiatr have received a strong boost with Prof Kyoko Matsukawa, PhD, a researcher and professor at Konan University, Japan, pledging her full support to the initiative spearheaded by the Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG) under the Goa government.
Prof Matsukawa, who has conducted extensive research on the Konkani language and tiatr, paid a courtesy visit to the TAG office on Monday.
She held detailed discussions with TAG President Anthony Barbosa, Vice-President Marcos Gonsalves, and Member Secretary Carlos Fernandes on the heritage tag proposal and other issues concerning tiatr and the Konkani language.
Expressing admiration for the initiative, Prof Matsukawa said, “This is a great step towards earning the highest recognition for tiatr. I am very much in favour of the initiative and will support it in every way possible.”
She also expressed interest in gaining deeper knowledge about the history, uniqueness, and cultural value of tiatr.
During the meeting, TAG President Anthony Barbosa proposed collaborations with Prof Matsukawa on tiatr-related academic and research projects. “It is a great honour that TAG is receiving support from an international researcher, especially from Japan, which has no direct connection with tiatr,” Barbosa said.
Vice-President Marcos Gonsalves invited Prof Matsukawa to share her perspectives on tiatr in upcoming forums and events, highlighting the importance of global engagement in promoting the Goan art form.
Prof Matsukawa also expressed appreciation for TAG’s initiative of launching a dedicated research journal on tiatr. She noted that such academic documentation will play a key role in bringing tiatr to the attention of international cultural organisations and strengthening the case for its inclusion in UNESCO’s heritage list.
TAG officials described the meeting as a milestone in their ongoing efforts to take tiatr—a vibrant blend of music, drama, and social commentary—to the global stage, and expressed confidence that such international collaborations would add significant weight to their heritage tag proposal.
