The "Arabian Days" festival, organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, kicks off tomorrow at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi, coinciding with UNESCO's World Arabic Language Day on December 18th which comes this year under the theme "Arabic as the Language of Poetry and Arts".
The event aims at celebrating the Arabic language and highlighting its vital role in contributing to Arab culture and civilisation, past, present, and future.
Starting tomorrow, December 15th, and continuing until December 18th, the festival offers a four-day journey into the depths of Arabic culture and arts.
Visitors will explore the beauty of the Arabic language and its diverse creative manifestations through a rich programme of cultural and artistic events, meticulously designed to meet the varied interests of Arabic language enthusiasts.
The festival features intellectual and literary events, film screenings, drama, theater, workshops for children and youth, and interactive art experiences.
In its inaugural edition, the festival hosts a selection of artists, musicians, and high-profile celebrities in the Arabic language, such as Mona Zaki and Marwan Khoury. It also features several Arab authors, poets, and researchers, alongside a group of emerging Emirati and Arab creators, in a diverse programme of discussions, theatrical performances, and music and poetry shows.
Over its four days, the "Arabian Days" festival hosts a selection of artists and musicians, showcasing a wide range of artistic and musical styles and genres. The festival will feature several musical and singing performances by stars of art and music from the Arab World. Notably, the festival opens with a singing evening featuring artist and music researcher Abeer Nehme. On the second day, singer-songwriter Noel Kharman will give a singing performance, followed by a performance with artist Reema Khcheich on the third day. The festival culminates on its final day with a concert by the renowned artist and composer Marwan Khoury, marking a grand finale to the festival's artistic events.
The festival's programme encompasses various cultural and artistic fields, including innovative literary discussions, in-depth intellectual dialogue sessions, and other cultural and artistic performances. Accompanying these main events are various art exhibitions and interactive activities. Notable among these are the "Antara... Poet of Love and Chivalry" exhibition by artist Dr Mahmood Shubbar, and a showcase of most prominent artworks from the 2023 Kanz Al Jeel Award. The festival also features a "Bonfire Session", dedicated to traditional storytelling, screenings of significant Arabic films from Cinema Akil, performances by the Spanish band "Mawlid," musical performances by various artists, workshops for non-Arabic speakers, Arabic calligraphy workshops, and special reenactments of iconic Arabic historical and contemporary figures.
The festival warmly welcomes visitors at Manarat Al Saadiyat in Abu Dhabi starting tomorrow, Friday, from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM, and from Saturday to Monday, daily from 10:30 AM to 11:00 PM. Visitors can view the full festival programme and its array of artistic shows and activities at the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre website.
