Sultan graces Sharjah Gulf Theatre Festival

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, witnessed on Monday, at the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy (SPAA), the inauguration of the activities of the 4th edition of the Sharjah Gulf Theater Festival, which will continue until February 27.

Upon his arrival, His Highness was welcomed by Sheikh Salem Bin Abdulrahman Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Ruler's Office, Sheikh Majid Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Head of the Department of Suburbs and Villages Affairs, Khamis Bin Salem Al Suwaidi, Adviser to the Sharjah Ruler's Office, Abdullah Mohammed AlOwais, Head of the Department of Culture, and A Ali Salim Al Midfa, Chairman of the Sharjah International Airport Authority, Mohamed Obaid Al Zaabi, Chairman of Department of Protocol and Hospitality, Issa Hilal Al Hazami, Chairman of the Sharjah Sports Council, and a number of senior officials, and a group of artists, writers, intellectuals and theater lovers.

The ceremony started with a film about the march of the Sharjah Gulf Theatre Festival during its past three sessions, highlighting the most important winning works and the most prominent initiatives that the theatre witnessed under the directives of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, notably the establishment of the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, a world-leading performing arts education and training institution, which His Highness announced during one of the theatre festivals in Sharjah.

 The students put up a brlliant show.

The Sharjah Gulf Theatre Festival was established in 2015 under the directives of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, celebrating the creators of Gulf theatre, to be organised every two years, including various theatrical performances of well-known artistic groups. The cultural event witnessed the announcement of the members of the jury for the current edition of the festival. Then, the audience enjoyed watching the captivating performances of the iconic ‘Nimrod’, a thought-provoking play written by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi.

The play was performed by third-year students at the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, being directed by Professor Peter Barlow, Executive Director of the SPAA. The play provided the audiences with an insight into the life of the historical figure Al-Nimrod during immersive evening, including theatrical storytelling, music, dance, and drama.

At the conclusion of the play, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah took a souvenir photo with the Academy’s students who performed the theatrical performance. His Highness was impressed with the students’ performance in producing the show according to the writer’s perspective and bringing the text to life. Six of the most prominent and latest theatrical performances in the Arab Gulf countries are participating in the official competition of the festival. The audience will witness, at the Sharjah Cultural Palace, the performance of the plays participating in the festival, which are competing for numerous awards.

 During the performance of the play 'Nimrod.'

The Festival includes many accompanying activities, which are designed to enhance bridges of communication between participants, guests and the public. It also organises six evening cultural seminars, introducing the efforts and successes of theater groups in several countries of the Arab world. Recently, Sheikh Sultan issued an Emiri Decree approving the general organisational structure of Sharjah Municipality. Emiri Decree No.5 of 2023 stipulates that the general organisational structure of Sharjah Municipality attached to the decree shall be approved, provided that the Executive Council shall issue relevant decisions as follows:

1. The detailed organisational structure of the municipality, and the decisions necessary to implement this decree, including approving job descriptions for the tasks of the organisational units.

2. Creating, merging, or cancelling any organisational units belonging to the departments included in the general organisational structure. Separately, Sheikh Sultan issued Administrative Resolution No.(1) of 2023, regarding the constituting the Board of Trustees of Sharjah Award for Voluntary Work (SAVW).

The board will be headed by Afaf Ibrahim Al Marri, with the membership of Dr Jassim Mohammed Al Hammadi, Secretary-General; Hamid Ali Alabbar Al Shamsi, Sultan Mohammed Abdullah Al-Khayal, Issa Hilal Al Hazami, Mosbeh Saeed Al Ajeed Al Ketbi, Fatima Musa Al Balushi, and Iman Rashid Saif.