Damascus Festival for Folkloric Arts Kicks off at Damascus Citadel

During the inauguration ceremony, a photo exhibition was opened highlighting the most prominent ancient monuments of Damascus Old City like the mosques and the old houses. Enana Dance Group performed a dancing show under the title " Sun of the Orient" which talks about a number of famous Syrian figures, such as Poet and Philosopher Abu al-Ala' al-Ma'arri, Poet Abu Tammam, Queen of Palmyra Zenobia, Goddess of the Spring and Poet Badawi al-Jabal. The show focused on the fashion of the areas where the aforementioned figures lived. Minister of Culture, Dr. Riad Ismat said "the Festival aims at enhancing national unity and highlighting the originality and diversity of the Syrian heritage, particularly that the folklore is a reflection of the culture of many minorities which have lived with each other in coexistence, love, understanding and tolerance for thousands of years." He pointed out that the Festival is based on the integration between the intellectual and the artistic sides as the theatrical shows will be coincided with a group of lectures, symposiums and art exhibitions which highlight the role of folklore in preserving the national and pan-Arab identity.