33rd Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts to kick off Thursday

AMMAN — The Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts’ administration on Saturday organised a tour for media outlets to acquaint them with the preparations for the 33rd iteration of the festival.

Under the Patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah, the festival is scheduled to kick off on Thursday, July 19, and run until July 28 at the ancient city of Jerash, and from July 29 till August 4 in Amman, according to a statement from the festival’s administration.

The journalists toured the site, 45km north of Amman, and took a firsthand look at the festival’s main locations such as the Southern and the Northern Theatres, the Oval Piazza (the main square), and the colonnaded street (the Cardo).

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Karameh Battle and the 72nd anniversary of the Kingdom’s independence, the opening ceremony (Thursday at 7pm) will include a national song performed by a number of Jordanian singers written by Jordanian poet and former minister of culture Haidar Mahmoud.

The continuation of the festival over three decades indicates the importance of the event and the stability and security of the Kingdom, Mohammad Abu Sumaqa, the festival’s executive director said.

Abu Sumaqa underscored the importance of the partnerships with the public institutions, private sector and local community, stressing the administration’s keenness on supporting the local community and enhancing their participation.

The festival’s schedule includes several concerts by renowned Jordanians, as well as Arab and international singers and troupes, said Abu Sumaqa, adding that this year some events will be held in Irbid, Zarqa, Salt and Karak, in addition to Jerash and Amman.

The 33-year-old festival will also include exhibitions of productions of local community and women societies such as handicrafts and local foodstuff.

It will also have events for poetry recitals by a number of Jordanian and Arab poets.