Homs-Sana
On the impact of Eastern and Western Tarab music, the artist Linda Bitar revived a musical evening led by Maestro Adnan Fathallah, Dean of the Higher Institute of Music, to mark the conclusion of the Castle and Valley Festival, which lasted eight days.
Bitar presented a bouquet of Fayrouz's songs, such as "Ehkeli wa Rayeh 'A Kafrhala", youth and traditional songs, such as "The Love of the Valleys, I, Eid and Ghazal Al-Hawa", and songs from the series' badges that she sang in her gentle voice, such as "I miss you" and others.
Bitar expressed her happiness to participate in the festival, which was hosted by the region in which she grew up, wishing that the festival would continue its continuous and renewed success.
A number of the audience who attended the festival's performances expressed their delight at the richness of its diverse activities.
SANA's camera met a number of the public and expatriates who attended the festival's activities, where Fadi Al-Zan, a mathematics teacher from the people of the valley, expressed his happiness for attending with his relatives the festival, which reunited them under the roof of joy and hope for a bright future.
For her part, the plastic artist, Ibtisam Deeb, described the festival as distinguished for its richness in intellectual, cultural and sports diversity, while the young woman, Zina Zakhour, saw that the festival was an opportunity to return joy to all and to introduce young people to the distinctive cultural, artistic and theatrical figures that our country embraces.
From the city of Homs, citizen Ruwaida Batikh and her family came to attend the last day of the festival, which she described as beautiful, especially in terms of the facilities provided by the organizer, including free means of transportation for those wishing to attend.
The expatriate Ibrahim Qaylouh pointed out that the participation of expatriates in such events and festivals reflects the love of the homeland that remains alive in their hearts, stressing his keenness to communicate with the events organized for the Citadel and Valley Festival to provide the necessary support for its success.
In turn, the expatriate George Yazigi mentioned that the festival has a special character this year, as it bears the name of the victory celebration to emphasize the victory of Syria in its war on terrorism and the insistence of the Syrians to continue their normal lives despite the siege, hoping that victories will continue until the last inch of the homeland is purged.
Hammam Ghali, member of an executive office in Homs Governorate, director of the Citadel and Wadi Festival, drew attention to the public turnout for all events, pointing out that this year was distinguished from previous years, as it witnessed the establishment of the first paragliding event within a festival in Syria, in addition to the car race, noting the great efforts made to make it a success.
He added: Our goal in the festival is to convey a message to the world that the Syrians are victorious despite the unjust siege imposed on them, and that the Syrian people love life and are determined to rebuild their homeland.
The festival, which began on the twenty-fourth of last July, witnessed this year a large public presence from Homs, rural and city, as well as the people of the valley and its expatriate sons, many of whom preferred that the period of their arrival to the homeland coincide with the festival, which has become an annual tradition for the valley and increases its social and tourist brilliance.
The festival was diverse and its activities enriched from previous years and was distinguished by the opening of exhibitions of flowers, books, heritage and rural products, marathon races, car and bicycle drifting, a paragliding festival, concerts for a number of young stars, a theater show by the Gulnar Troupe, in addition to sports tournaments and honoring a number of artists, writers and plastic artists who left a beautiful imprint in the Syrian lives.
The closing of the festival, in which its supporters were honored, was attended by the Secretary of the Homs branch of the Arab Socialist Baath Party Omar Houriya, the Deputy Minister of Tourism Nidal Mashfeng, and a number of official, popular and religious events in the province, in addition to a number of expatriates.
Hanan Sweid and Henadi Diop