Baghdad-Sana
The activities of the second Baghdad International Theater Festival kicked off today in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, with the participation of 15 plays from Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan, Oman, Italy, Germany and France, which will be shown in Baghdad theaters for seven days.
In a speech during the opening ceremony, which was attended by the Syrian ambassador in Baghdad, Sattam Jadaan al-Dandaj, the Iraqi Minister of Culture stressed the importance of the pioneering role of Arab theater in the early emergence of the first civilizations in Iraq, Egypt and Syria.
For their part, Iraqi officials, artists, and intellectuals expressed, in statements to SANA’s reporter in Baghdad, their high happiness with Syria’s participation, as the Iraqi Minister of Culture described the Syrian participation as a sign and an important one, and said, “We are reclaiming with the opening of the Iraqi theater the company of the Arab brothers.”
In turn, the Iraqi artist Mahmoud Abu Al-Abbas saluted Syria's participation in two works in this festival, stressing that the Syrian theater was and will remain a source of theatrical life in the Arab world.
For his part, the poet Nofal Abu Ragheef, Undersecretary of the Iraqi Ministry of Culture, stressed that the Syrian participation represents a double presence and has great importance because Syria is an ancient country in the theater and has a distinguished presence in the jury, the performances that were presented, and in the critical sessions, pointing out that honoring Syrian artists in the opening session has more dimensions. From a cultural aspect related to the relationship of the Syrian and Iraqi peoples, in reference to the honoring of the festival in its opening ceremony, the artist Sulaf Fawakherji, in appreciation of the Syrian theater and its achievements in it.
For their part, the Syrian artists expressed their happiness to participate in the festival. Director Hisham Kafarneh said, "I am very happy to be part of the team representing Syria, and my happiness doubles when I enter Baghdad for the first time through the theater gate."
The artist Youssef Al-Moqbel stressed that the return of the Baghdad International Festival after a long pause is an achievement and a victory for culture and creativity, pointing out that the Syrian participation is always the most effective in any Arab festivals.
