2008 Arab Capital of Culture
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Arab Capital of Culture was chosen to be Damascus
, Syria
. The Arab Capital of Culture is an initiative undertaken by UNESCO
, under the Cultural Capitals Program to promote and celebrate Arab culture and encourage cooperation in the Arab region
. The preparation for the festivity began in February 2007 with the establishing of the Administrative Committee for “Damascus Arab Capital of Culture" by a presidential decree.
, dean of the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts
in Damascus. She was the General Secretary of the event until its closing ceremony. The committee included a board of directors comprising:
Additionally, there was an advisory board of respected intellectuals, artists and literati including such figures as Adunis, Asaad Fidda, Abed Azrie
and Ghassan al-Maleh.
. The opening ceremony included levitated dancing, musical segments, floating acrobatics, and hot air balloons. The ceremony was attended by the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad
who was introduced by the legendary Syrian/Arab movie-star Muna Wassef
. Foreign guests included the Turkish prime minister Abdullah Gul
, the Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa
and the secretary general of the Arab League
Amr Moussa
.
The Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad, attended a concert at the Alhambra
palace in Granada
, Spain
along with Queen Sophia of Spain on January 31, 2008. The concert was a musical presentation of the poems of Wallada bint al-Mustakfi
the daughter of Muhammad III of Córdoba
, one of the last Umayyad Caliphates in Spain
.
For the opening ceremony of Damascus, Arab capital of Culture 2008 Studio Festi
proposed the show Le Rideau se Lève (the Curtain Rises), designed and produced by Monica Maimone
e Valerio Festi
.
The show afforded citizens of Syria the first opportunity to witness a grand 'piazza' celebration. To the collective emotion that the show aroused, the grand finale was added: a fireworks concert witnessed by the 1.6 million inhabitants of Damascus, launched from the hills of Mount Qasioun
.
Highlights of the events of the festival include by month:
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. The Arab Capital of Culture is an initiative undertaken by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
, under the Cultural Capitals Program to promote and celebrate Arab culture and encourage cooperation in the Arab region
Arab world
The Arab world refers to Arabic-speaking states, territories and populations in North Africa, Western Asia and elsewhere.The standard definition of the Arab world comprises the 22 states and territories of the Arab League stretching from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Arabian Sea in the...
. The preparation for the festivity began in February 2007 with the establishing of the Administrative Committee for “Damascus Arab Capital of Culture" by a presidential decree.
The Administrative Committee
The committee was headed by the well known professor and scholar Hanan Qassab HassanHanan Qassab Hassan
Hanan Qassab Hassan is a prominent Syrian writer and academic.-Biography:Hanan's father was the prominent lawyer and writer Najat Qassab Hassan. She holds a PhD in French literature from the University of Paris III...
, dean of the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts
Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts (Syria)
Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts was founded in Damascus, Syria in 1977. The institute heralded a new phase in the development of Syrian theatre and drama which begun with the preparation of the next generation of actors on an academic basis. The Institute includes three departments: Acting,...
in Damascus. She was the General Secretary of the event until its closing ceremony. The committee included a board of directors comprising:
- Prof. Ihsan Antabi, professor of Visual communications at the University of DamascusUniversity of DamascusThe University of Damascus is the largest and oldest university in Syria, located in the capital Damascus and has campuses in other Syrian cities. It was founded in 1923 through the merger of the School of Medicine and the Institute of Law , also making it the oldest university in modern-day Syria...
. - Prof. Elias Zayyat, founder of the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of DamascusUniversity of DamascusThe University of Damascus is the largest and oldest university in Syria, located in the capital Damascus and has campuses in other Syrian cities. It was founded in 1923 through the merger of the School of Medicine and the Institute of Law , also making it the oldest university in modern-day Syria...
and professor of Oil paintingOil paintingOil painting is the process of painting with pigments that are bound with a medium of drying oil—especially in early modern Europe, linseed oil. Often an oil such as linseed was boiled with a resin such as pine resin or even frankincense; these were called 'varnishes' and were prized for their body...
. - Prof. Michel Maqdisi, professor of Oriental antiquities at the University of DamascusUniversity of DamascusThe University of Damascus is the largest and oldest university in Syria, located in the capital Damascus and has campuses in other Syrian cities. It was founded in 1923 through the merger of the School of Medicine and the Institute of Law , also making it the oldest university in modern-day Syria...
. - Prof. Rania Samara, professor of literature at the University of Paris III: Sorbonne NouvelleUniversity of Paris III: Sorbonne NouvelleThe New Sorbonne University is a public university in Paris, France.The Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle is a founding member of the Paris Universitas, a union of 6 Parisian universities....
.
Additionally, there was an advisory board of respected intellectuals, artists and literati including such figures as Adunis, Asaad Fidda, Abed Azrie
Abed Azrie
Abed Azrie or Abed Azrié , is a Syrian singer who performs Arab classical music, although he claims to belong to no particular music tradition...
and Ghassan al-Maleh.
Opening ceremony
The festivities were officially launched on January 18, 2008 with fireworks and a spectacular visual and light show at the Umayyad SquareUmayyad Square
Ummayyad Square is a large and important square in Damascus, Syria. It connects the city center with several important highways and areas. The name refers to the Umayyad Caliphate when Damascus was the capital.-Buildings on the Umayyad Square:...
. The opening ceremony included levitated dancing, musical segments, floating acrobatics, and hot air balloons. The ceremony was attended by the Syrian president Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad
Bashar al-Assad is the President of Syria and Regional Secretary of the Ba'ath Party. His father Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria for 29 years until his death in 2000. Al-Assad was elected in 2000, re-elected in 2007, unopposed each time.- Early Life :...
who was introduced by the legendary Syrian/Arab movie-star Muna Wassef
Muna Wassef
Muna Wassef is a Syrian Stage, Film and Television actress. She was born on February 9, 1942, as . She is also a United Nations Goodwill ambassador...
. Foreign guests included the Turkish prime minister Abdullah Gul
Abdullah Gül
Dr. Abdullah Gül, GCB is the 11th and current President of the Republic of Turkey, serving in that office since 28 August 2007. He previously served for four months as Prime Minister from 2002-03, and as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2003-07....
, the Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa
Hamad bin Khalifa
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is the ruling Emir of the State of Qatar since 1995.Sheikh Hamad was the appointed Heir Apparent of Qatar between 1977 and 1995 and at the same time Minister of Defense. In the early 1980s he led the Supreme Planning Council, which sets the Qatar's basic economic...
and the secretary general of the Arab League
Arab League
The Arab League , officially called the League of Arab States , is a regional organisation of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia . It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan , Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. Yemen joined as a...
Amr Moussa
Amr Moussa
Amr Mohammed Moussa is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the Secretary-General of the Arab League, a 22-member forum representing Arab states, from 1 June 2001 until 1 June 2011. He is a candidate in the 2011 Egyptian presidential election....
.
The Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad, attended a concert at the Alhambra
Alhambra
The Alhambra , the complete form of which was Calat Alhambra , is a palace and fortress complex located in the Granada, Andalusia, Spain...
palace in Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
along with Queen Sophia of Spain on January 31, 2008. The concert was a musical presentation of the poems of Wallada bint al-Mustakfi
Wallada bint al-Mustakfi
Wallada bint al-Mustakfi , was an Arab Andalusian poet of Arabic language.-Early life:She was the daughter of Muhammad III of Córdoba, one of the last Umayyad Cordoban caliphs, who came to power in 1024 after assassinating the previous caliph Abderraman V, and who was assassinated himself two...
the daughter of Muhammad III of Córdoba
Muhammad III of Córdoba
Muhammad bin 'Abd ar-Rahman bin 'Obayd Allah , known as Muhammad III was an Umayyad Caliph of Cordoba in the Al-Andalus . He ruled after the death of Abd ar-Rahman V from 1024 to 1025 when the people of Córdoba revolted against him and he was forced to leave the city. It is believed that he died...
, one of the last Umayyad Caliphates in Spain
Caliphate of Córdoba
The Caliphate of Córdoba ruled the Iberian peninsula and part of North Africa, from the city of Córdoba, from 929 to 1031. This period was characterized by remarkable success in trade and culture; many of the masterpieces of Islamic Iberia were constructed in this period, including the famous...
.
For the opening ceremony of Damascus, Arab capital of Culture 2008 Studio Festi
Studio Festi
Studio Festi is an Italian artistic project and production centre bringing into being shows and grand installations.Founded in 1982 by Valerio Festi and Monica Maimone, Studio Festi operates from its main offices in Velate , its workshop in Venegono Superiore and, in 2010, it set up a branch in...
proposed the show Le Rideau se Lève (the Curtain Rises), designed and produced by Monica Maimone
Monica Maimone
Monica Maimone is an Italian theater director and playwright.- Biography :She started her career in theater in 1966; in 1968 she created the theatre group called Nuova Scena together with Dario Fo and Franca Rame, following the model of Erwin Piscator's "Volksbũhne"...
e Valerio Festi
Valerio Festi
Valerio Festi is an Italian artistic director and producer. He is also the Chief Executive Officer at Studio Festi.-Biography:Valerio obtained his degree in 1978 at the University of Bologna....
.
The show afforded citizens of Syria the first opportunity to witness a grand 'piazza' celebration. To the collective emotion that the show aroused, the grand finale was added: a fireworks concert witnessed by the 1.6 million inhabitants of Damascus, launched from the hills of Mount Qasioun
Mount Qasioun
Mount Qasioun is a mountain overlooking the city of Damascus, Syria. It has a range of restaurants, from which the whole city can be viewed. As the city expanded over the years, some districts have been established on the foot of the mountain...
.
Highlights of the festivities
Over the course of 12 months many major cultural events were sponsired and numerous festivals and exhibitions were held, turning Damascus into a cultural center.Highlights of the events of the festival include by month:
February
- Sah al-Nom, a musical by the Lebanese legendary diva Fairouz.
- Doxbox: Festival of Documentary Film, the first Documentary film festival in the middle east.
- Opera of CarmenCarmenCarmen is a French opéra comique by Georges Bizet. The libretto is by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée, first published in 1845, itself possibly influenced by the narrative poem The Gypsies by Alexander Pushkin...
, by George Bizet. - An oudOudThe oud is a pear-shaped stringed instrument commonly used in North African and Middle Eastern music. The modern oud and the European lute both descend from a common ancestor via diverging paths...
concert by Anouar BrahemAnouar BrahemAnouar Brahem is an oud player and composer. He is widely acclaimed as an innovator in his field...
.
March
- A musical concert by the Orchestra of Mari.
- Bahok, a dance performance by Akram KhanAkram Khan (dancer)Akram Khan, MBE is a dancer whose background is rooted in his classical kathak training and contemporary dance.-Career:Khan was born in London into a family of Bangladeshi origin. He began dancing and trained in the classical Indian dance form of Kathak at the age of seven. He studied with Sri...
. - House of Cinema, a celebration of Arab cinema.
- World Poetry Day, a series of poetry workshops in celebration of the World Poetry Day.
May
- Women Sing... Their Voices Converse, a music performance by Arab female musicians at Azm PalaceAzm PalaceAzem Palace is a palace in Damascus, Syria which was originally built in 1750 as a residence for the Ottoman governor of Damascus As'ad Pasha al-Azm. The palace now houses the Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions.-Architecture:...
.
June
- The Return of Ali Bey, a street theatre and music performance about Ali Bey al-AbbasiAli Bey al-AbbasiAli Bey al-Abbasi , was the false name/pseudonym that Domingo Badía y Leblich , a Spanish explorer and spy in the early 19th century, used for several years in his travels to North Africa and the Middle East...
. - Just Flamenco, a FlamencoFlamencoFlamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
performance by Spanish bailora Isabel Bayon. - In Tribute to World Refugee Day, a concert by Naseer ShammaNaseer ShammaNaseer Shamma is a renowned Arab Iraqi musician and oud player.He was born in 1963 in Kut, a city on the Tigris River. He is born to a Fayli Kurdish father and a Khazrajite Arab mother. He began studying the oud at the age of 12 in Baghdad, following in the footsteps of Jamil and Munir Bashir...
.
July
- World Music Nights, a series of concerts by groups from different parts of the world, with focus on ethnic music. The concerts included Dhafer YoussefDhafer YoussefDhafer Youssef is a composer, singer and oud player. He developed an interest in jazz at an early age and clandestinely listened to it during his education at a Qur'anic school. He later left Tunisia to start a jazz career and has lived in Europe since 1990, usually in Paris or Vienna. He also...
, Pink MartiniPink MartiniPink Martini is a 13-member "little orchestra" from Portland, Oregon, formed in 1994 by pianist Thomas M. Lauderdale. They draw inspiration from music from all over the world – crossing genres of classical, jazz and old-fashioned pop.-History:...
, FaudelFaudelFaudel , born Faudel Belloua on June 6, 1978 in Mantes-la-Jolie, is a French singer of Algerian descent.-Early years:...
, Johnny Clegg, Angelique KidjoAngélique KidjoAngélique Kpasseloko Hinto Hounsinou Kandjo Manta Zogbin Kidjo, commonly known as Angélique Kidjo is a Grammy Award–winning Beninoise singer-songwriter and activist, noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. Time Magazine has called her "Africa's premier diva". The BBC has...
, Lena ChamamyanLena ChamamyanLena Chamamyan is a Syrian singer of Armenian descent. Born in Damascus, she started singing at an early age giving her first concert when she was five years old.Through her elementary and secondary education she held many school concerts...
and TinariwenTinariwenTinariwen is a band of Tuareg-Berber musicians from the Sahara Desert region of northern Mali. The band was formed around 1979 in refugee camps in Libya but returned to Mali after a cease-fire in the 1990s...
. - Classical Music Nights, a series of classical music concerts in tribute to Solhi al-WadiSolhi Al-WadiSolhi Al-Wadi was an Iraqi-born musician, conductor, composer, educator and director, who lived most of his life in Damascus, Syria.- Life :...
. - The Falcon: Abdulrahman al-Dakhel, a dance show by the Syrian dance group Inana about Abd ar-Rahman IAbd ar-Rahman IAbd al-Rahman I, or, his full name by patronymic record, Abd al-Rahman ibn Mu'awiya ibn Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan was the founder of the Umayyad Emirate of Córdoba , a Muslim dynasty that ruled the greater part of Iberia for nearly three centuries...
, the first Umayyad Caliphate in Spain. - Julio IglesiasJulio IglesiasJulio José Iglesias de la Cueva , better known simply as Julio Iglesias, is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music Entertainment, he is one of the top 15 best selling music artists in history,...
performing at the Roman theatre of BosraRoman theatre of BosraThe Roman theatre of Bosra is an ancient Roman theatre in Bosra, Syria. It was built in the second quarter of the 2nd century CE. It is the largest, most complete and best preserved theatre of all the Roman theatres in the Middle East, and was one of the largest theatres ever constructed in the...
.
August
- A series of concerts by the Lebanese musician Ziad RahbaniZiad RahbaniZiad Rahbani is a Lebanese composer, pianist, performer, playwright, and political commentator. His compositions are well-known throughout the Arab world...
at the Citadel of Damascus. It was the first time Rahbani performs in Syria. - The Festival of Oak of Mallajeh, the 12th edition of this annual cultural festival was held under the patronage of Arab Capital of Culture festival.
September
- Spiritual Music Days, a series of concerts by a number of traditional and spiritual musical groups.
- Memory Club hosts Colette KhouryColette KhouryColette Khoury is a Syrian novelist and poet who is also the granddaughter of former Syrian Prime Minister Faris al-Khoury...
, an event and talk by the Syrian writer.
October
- Zenobia, an opera by Luca Antonio PredieriLuca Antonio PredieriLuca Antonio Predieri was an Italian composer and violinist. A member of a prominent family of musicians, Predieri was born in Bologna and was active there from 1704. In 1737 he moved to Vienna, eventually becoming Kapellmeister to the imperial Habsburg court in 1741, a post he held for ten years...
about the ZenobiaZenobiaZenobia was a 3rd-century Queen of the Palmyrene Empire in Roman Syria. She led a famous revolt against the Roman Empire. The second wife of King Septimius Odaenathus, Zenobia became queen of the Palmyrene Empire following Odaenathus' death in 267...
, the Syrian queen of PalmyraPalmyraPalmyra was an ancient city in Syria. In the age of antiquity, it was an important city of central Syria, located in an oasis 215 km northeast of Damascus and 180 km southwest of the Euphrates at Deir ez-Zor. It had long been a vital caravan city for travellers crossing the Syrian desert...
. - A series of concerts by Lebanese artist Julia BoutrosJulia BoutrosJulia Boutros is a Lebanese singer that rose to stardom in the 1980s with a series of nationalistic songs like "Ghabet Shams El Haq" and "Wen el malaieen". She is also the sister of Lebanese songwriter Ziad Boutros.-Biography:...
at the Citadel of Damascus. - An Orient of Palaces: Claude ShaefferClaude F. A. SchaefferClaude Frédéric-Armand Schaeffer , aka Claude Schaeffer, led the French excavation team that begun working on the site of Ugarit in 1929, uncovering the Ugaritic religious texts.-References:...
and the Royal Palace of UgaritUgaritUgarit was an ancient port city in the eastern Mediterranean at the Ras Shamra headland near Latakia, Syria. It is located near Minet el-Beida in northern Syria. It is some seven miles north of Laodicea ad Mare and approximately fifty miles east of Cyprus...
, an exhibition at the National Museum of DamascusNational Museum of DamascusThe National Museum of Damascus is a large museum in the heart of Damascus, Syria. The most popular part of the museum is the reconstruction of the 2nd century CE Dura-Europos synagogue.- Location :...
.
November
- World Ceramics: Masterpieces from the Victoria and Albert MuseumVictoria and Albert MuseumThe Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
, an exhibition. - Damascus International Film FestivalDamascus International Film FestivalThe Damascus International Film Festival is a biannual November film festival hosted by the government of Syria since 1979. The festival was established by the late Syrian film director Muhammad Shahin. It alternates with the Carthage Film Festival. Up to 1999, the festival's competition focused...
, in its 16th edition was held under the patronage of the festival. - Contract, a dance performance by the Myosotis Dance Theatre Group.
December
- An adaption of A Streetcar Named DesireA Streetcar Named Desire (play)A Streetcar Named Desire is a 1947 play written by American playwright Tennessee Williams for which he received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1948. The play opened on Broadway on December 3, 1947, and closed on December 17, 1949, in the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. The Broadway production was...
directed by Ghassan MassoudGhassan MassoudGhassan Massoud is a Syrian actor and filmmaker. He is known in the West for playing the role of Muslim ruler Saladin in Ridley Scott's 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven....
. - Aramel on the Bicycle, a play by Jawad al-Assadi.
- And we also love life... a tribute to Mahmoud DarwishMahmoud DarwishMahmoud Darwish was a Palestinian poet and author who won numerous awards for his literary output and was regarded as the Palestinian national poet...
, a series of concerts by Lebanese musician Marcel KhalifeMarcel KhalifeMarcel Khalife is a Lebanese composer, singer and oud player. From 1970 to 1975, he taught at the conservatory in Beirut. In 1976, he created Al Mayadeen Ensemble and became famous all over the world for songs like Ummi , Rita w'al-Bunduqiya and Jawaz al-Safar , based on Mahmoud Darwish's...
. The tour included in addition to Damascus concerts in the cities of LatakiaLatakiaLatakia, or Latakiyah , is the principal port city of Syria, as well as the capital of the Latakia Governorate. In addition to serving as a port, the city is a manufacturing center for surrounding agricultural towns and villages...
, HomsHomsHoms , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
and AleppoAleppoAleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
.