The inaugural edition of the "Arabian Days" Festival, organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, will take place in Abu Dhabi from December 15 to 18 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, to celebrate the Arabic language, exploring its historical significance, its vibrant present, and its enduring importance in shaping the future. It also pays homage to the language’s pivotal role in nurturing culture and civilisation through the ages.
The Arabian Days Festival coincides with UNESCO’s celebration of World Arabic language Day on the 18th of December which comes this year under the theme of "Arabic – the language of Poetry and Arts".
The programme for this year's inaugural edition includes a variety of literary, cultural, and artistic activities aimed at broadening the scope of the Arabic language and its applications, as well as consolidating its diversity as a living language, within modern and vibrant programmes.
On the main stage, there will be a number of Arab and international artists performing, including Abeer Nehme, Noel Kharman, Rima Khcheich, and Marwan Khoury, who will perform daily singing evenings throughout the Festival's nights. This is in addition to the Spanish "Mawlid" band, which harmoniously blends Spanish and Arabic melodies, intertwining the rich heritage of Andalusian tunes, as well as the "a cappella" artist and producer Alaa Wardi, the Emirati opera singer and pianist Fatima Al Hashmi, a traditional folk dancing from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan, among others.
Visitors will also be able to attend innovative literary discussions within the conference accompanying the "Arabia Days" activities in the auditorium, where many topics that touch the core of the Arabic language in poetry and arts will be discussed, from the journey of Arabic poetry in the world of melody and rhythm and the horizons of Arabic translation, to the cultural and linguistic influences of Arabic music and sung poetry, as well as transformations and challenges in Arabic language curricula, fine arts and Arabic calligraphy, drama and theatre, and the role of Arabic literature in promoting tolerance and understanding of different cultures. Among those speaking at the conference are HE Irene Domingo, Director of Casa Árabe in Madrid, Egyptian artist Mona Zaki, Lebanese artist Marwan Khoury, and a number of other poets, writers, and artists.
Attendees will also be able to listen to traditional and contemporary Arab tales through the "Bonfire Storytelling" programme, which brings them together to hear stories that have influenced their lives, including folk stories and tales passed down through generations in the United Arab Emirates.
"Cinema Akil" will include feature film screenings in the auditorium, as well as prose and poetry inspired by Arab heritage and reality, in order to raise awareness and knowledge of the cinematic arts and the Arab story. The audience will watch the films "El Ard" by Youssef Chahine, "Nearby Sky" by Nujoom Alghanem, "The Last Queen" by Damien Ounouri and Adila Bendimerad, as well as "In Fields of Words" by Rania Stephen, which is a dialogue between exiled Syrian writer Samar Yazbek and the filmmaker who tries to ask vital questions about cinema and literature in the face of war, death, and violence.
This is in addition to the theatrical performances in the auditorium, which will include the "Arabic Pals" competition awarding ceremony, a certificate awarding ceremony by the Mexican Embassy for successful graduates of Arabic Language course, and reenactments of Arab historical figures from ancient and contemporary history, such as poet Antarah ibn Shaddad, musician and singer Ziryab, poet Al Mutanabbi, musician Mohamed Abdelwahab, author Naguib Mahfouz, poet and author May Ziadeh, poet and author Gibran Khalil Gibran, and others.
On the other hand, the children and youth workshops will include one that delves into the rich cultural and historical significance of henna, another on the fascinating world of geometric design and patterns, and another on sound healing and storytelling, as well as other workshops on drawing a poem, Arabic drumming, Arabic perfume making, and Arabic calligraphy bookmark, among others that will take place in the terrace.
Among the all-day programme that runs every day from morning till evening during the Festival, there will be an art exhibition by artist Dr Mahmood Shubbar, which presents the poet Antarah ibn Shaddad through his poetry and his busy life from a modern and unique perspective, and the "Kanz Al Jeel" art exhibition of the most prominent artworks from the Kanz Al Jeel Award 2023, which celebrates the inspiration of Arabic and Nabatai poetry in distinguished works of art, as well as a number of unique interactive and immersive visual and audio experiences.
