On the occasion of the twenty years since the launch of the Fujairah International Monodrama Festival, its management organized, within the activities of the tenth session, a symposium on “The Challenges of the Fujairah Festival between Idea, Launch and Continuity”, with the participation of Muhammad Saeed Al-Dhanhani, President of the Festival, and Muhammad Saif Al-Afkham, its Director.
At the beginning of the symposium, which was held in Dibba Al-Fujairah and moderated by Ahmed Al-Yamahi, the journalist, Al-Dhanhani expressed his thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Muhammad Al-Sharqi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Fujairah, for his great efforts in supporting the festival’s march since its inception. He said: His Highness, the Ruler of Fujairah, is interested in the success of any cultural activity in Fujairah, and believes in theater, culture and youth greatly. His Highness is the owner of the first seed for the festival since the idea was put forward, and he called for it to be an international festival.
He added: We planted the seed of the festival under the continuous patronage of His Highness, the Ruler of Fujairah, and the constant follow-up of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah.
Al-Dhanhani explained that the festival contributed to the promotion and revitalization of the cultural movement in the emirate, as a result of it, Fujairah Radio, Fujairah TV station, the Culture and Information Authority, and the City of Creativity were established. Mohammed bin Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi awarded the awards in Paris, and the events in the emirate varied between the Fujairah Media Forum, the Al Rababa Forum, printing books, participating in exhibitions, and holding many artistic, literary and intellectual activities.
Regarding the other fruits of the festival, Al-Dhanhani said: After twenty years, we are talking about the dreams of a group of young people who finished high school. Among the young people who believed in the love of theater, including Abdullah Rashid, Khaled Rashid and others, and after that we began striving to achieve dreams, and to communicate with the world and the playwrights despite the difficulties of that period.
international umbrella
Muhammad Saif Al-Afkham confirmed that had it not been for the support of His Highness the Ruler of Fujairah, the follow-up of His Highness the Crown Prince, and the efforts of Sheikh Rashid bin Hamad Al Sharqi, Chairman of the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority, the festival would not have continued its launch, and after twenty years it would become a milestone in the art of monodrama shows and is referred to as Lebanon. Arab and international.
Al-Afkham pointed out that the festival has contributed, since its inception in 2003, to creating an international umbrella for monodrama and a place where fans, critics and media professionals meet to communicate and exchange views, pointing out that because of the event, Fujairah was chosen as the second headquarters of the International Theater Authority, and the Fujairah Award for Theatrical Creativity was launched, and now the emirate hosts ITI World Congress.
Al-Afkham praised the efforts of the artist Abdullah Rashid in promoting the festival and the Dibba theater, which contributed to the development of the capabilities of many youth in the region and the development of their theatrical skills, and the graduates of many talented playwrights who have many works and participations in festivals at the level of the Emirates and the Arab world.
Tributes
In his intervention, the artist, Hani Ramzi, confirmed that he considers himself a son of the festival, and aspires to participate in it with a performance, praising the great efforts made by Muhammad Saeed Al-Dhanhani and Muhammad Saif Al-Afkham in reaching this level and enriching the theatrical scene with unique performances.
As for the artist, Asaad Fadda, he considered that the festival contributed to developing young talents in theatrical and artistic work and supporting the theatrical movement in the Arab world and the world.
The artist, Sameh Al-Suraiti, considered the festival a meeting place for creators, playwrights and artists, and an arena for exchanging ideas and opinions, and that it contributed to reviving the art of monodrama.
He pointed out his keenness to attend the festival since its first session, and said: I consider myself part of this festival because I experienced the idea of its unprecedented launch to celebrate the art of monodrama in the Arab world.