UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth Celebrates Naming of Jordan’s Irbid as Capital of Arab Culture

Jerusalem, 15 August, 2022 (TPS) -- ABU DHABI, 15th August 2022 (WAM)
The Ministry of Culture and Youth of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) participated in a ceremony to celebrate the naming of the Jordanian city of Irbid the Capital of Arab Culture by the Arab Educational Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) for the year 2022.

The Ministry organized musical performances by the Emirates Music Ensemble to mark the occasion.

The Ensemble presented two concerts, which were attended by high-ranking officials and government representatives from Jordan.

The first concert took place on August 10 on the main stage of the Irbid Cultural Centre, and was attended by the Governor of Irbid and representative of the minister of culture; Radwan Al-Atoum; the head of the Executive Office of the ceremony Munther Bataina; and a large gathering of intellectuals and members of the community.

Emirates Music Ensemble presented a collection of heritage songs from Emirati, Arab and Gulf folk collections, as well as songs by leading Arab singers.

The second concert was held on August 11, at the Visitor Centre of the ancient city of Umm Qais, where the audience enjoyed a range of musical performances reflecting authentic Emirati art and heritage.

Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth, said, “We congratulate our brothers in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on the naming of the city of Irbid as the Capital of Arab Culture for the year 2022. This title highlights Irbid’s status as a key figure in Arab culture and arts and acknowledges the role of culture as a soft power on the global stage. With its cultural roots going back centuries, the city of Irbid has been a center of poetry, arts, theatre and singing, and has gifted the Arab world with several icons. This title is an opportunity to further explore the city’s historical and contemporary contributions to culture and recognize its status on the Kingdom’s cultural map.”

She continued, “This participation embodies the strong brotherly ties that bind the UAE with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in various fields, especially our cultural ties and historical relations dating back to the era of the Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the late King Hussein bin Talal. The relations between the two countries are built on affection and shared heritage that live on even today in the hearts of our people.”

The other events accompanying the Capital of Arab Culture ceremony namely “Chrysanthemum City” and “The Bride of the North”, will continue throughout the year featuring artistic and musical performances.

They will also host cultural activities, poetry evenings; critical sessions and seminars; panel discussions on local and Arab affairs; women’s and children’s literature seminars; talks on scientific culture and fields of innovation with the participation of a selection of academic and artistic figures.

A range of exhibitions of plastic arts, will also be organized highlighting political, literary and social figures from Irbid, who have contributed to elevating the city’s status as a leading cultural model in the Arab world.