jordan pulse -

The Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Higher Committee of the Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts, Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh, emphasized that the festival serves as a national cultural landmark that elevates creative output and enhances national identity. Speaking during the first meeting of the Higher Committee for the festival's 40th edition, Al-Rawashdeh noted that the event represents an integral part of the state's discourse and the broader Jordanian narrative. He highlighted that Jerash is a festival of human culture in all its expressive forms, including poetry, theater, cinema, folklore, and plastic arts. He added that its continuity since the early 1980s underscores Jordan's stability and security. The minister also noted the introduction of the "Al-Qabou" (The Vault) feature, which will showcase works by pioneering Jordanian plastic artists.
​The Executive Director of the festival, Yazan Al-Khdeir, presented the operational preparations and event lineups. He announced that this edition aims to achieve financial sustainability and improve visitor experience while featuring a total of 213 events.
​Festival Statistics and Event Distribution:
​Total Events: The lineup includes 157 Jordanian, 35 Arab, and 21 international performances.
​Event Categories: The schedule consists of 78 cultural events and seminars, 59 musical performances, 20 cultural exchange activities, 19 folklore shows, 11 embassy pavilion events, 19 family and children activities, 4 theatrical performances, and 3 fine arts exhibitions.
​Jerash Archaeological City Venues: Events will be distributed across the South Theater (11), North Theater (12), Hippodrome (34), Artemis Theater (30), Embassies Pavilion (11), Family and Children area (16), and the Oval Plaza (3 non-artistic events).
​Amman and Governorate Venues: In Amman, activities will be held at the National Library (32), the Royal Cultural Center (19), the Roman Amphitheater (12), the Odeon Theater (11), and the University of Jordan (2), alongside 20 events held across various governorates.
​Prominent Artistic Lineup:
​South Theater Performers: Featured artists include Majida El Roumi, Tamer Hosny, George Wassouf, Abadi Al-Johar, Ahmed Saad, El Shami, Elissa, Abeer Nehme, and Marwan Khoury, alongside the Caracalla troupe, the Circassian Academy, and the "Umm Kulthum" theatrical production.
​North Theater Performers: The stage will host the Haytham Sukkarieh Orchestra, Talal Abu Al-Ragheb, Octave, Autostrad, Mosaica Choir, El Far3i, and El Morabba3 from Jordan, alongside Ibrahim Maalouf (Lebanon), Dorsaf Hamdani (Tunisia), Boudchart (Morocco), and the Phoenix band (USA).
​Al-Khdeir also highlighted the festival's collaboration with the Crown Prince Foundation through the "Nahno" initiative, as well as the All Jordan Youth Commission. The committee members concluded by stressing the importance of media promotion to ensure strong public attendance and capitalize on the festival's role in marketing Jordan culturally and recreationally.
​Rum News Agency