"Give Us Childhood" brings together six Arab countries on the Zarqa stage
Amman3 min read
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The Arab Children's Theater Festival, in its sixth edition launched in Zarqa under the slogan "Give Us Childhood," brings together theatrical experiences from Jordan, Iraq, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, and Egypt in a program that goes beyond artistic performances to include training workshops and critical seminars, emphasizing the importance of theater in developing children's awareness and creative imagination.
Secretary-General of the Ministry of Culture, Dr. Nidal Al-Ayasrah, representing Minister of Culture Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh, inaugurated the festival's activities, which are organized by the Children's Cultural Club Association at the King Abdullah II Cultural Center on Friday, in the presence of Zarqa Director of Culture Mohammed Al-Zoubi, heads of participating Arab delegations, and a crowd of intellectuals, theater professionals, and the public.
Al-Ayasrah emphasized the importance of theater as a means of awareness and education, pointing to its ability to address children's minds and emotions through storytelling, music, and artistic performance, and to convey educational messages in ways that combine pleasure and knowledge, contributing to establishing human and educational values and national belonging.
In the context of interest in children's culture, Al-Ayasrah pointed to the Ministry of Culture's efforts to enhance programs aimed at children through a directorate specialized in children's culture in the capital and childhood departments in the governorates, in addition to interest in libraries and publications dedicated to them, including "Wissam" magazine, and the move towards establishing a children's song festival.
The festival presents six theatrical performances: "Guardians of the Stars" from Jordan, directed by Suhad Al-Zoubi; "The Princess and the Wolf Ramah" from Iraq; "Cockroach and Ant" from Tunisia; "Carrot Orchard" from Syria; "Treasure Key" from Egypt; and "The Dandy Mouse and His Friends" from Palestine, in addition to a theatrical sketch presented by the Al-Ghosoun Cultural Association.
The program includes a daily workshop to teach children improvisation without a script, critical sessions for the performances, and a main seminar titled "The Impact of Theater on Child Psychology," allowing space for training, interaction, and the exchange of Arab theatrical experiences.
The opening ceremony witnessed artistic and scouting segments, a performance presented by Al-Hikma Schools, and the honoring of a number of artistic figures, while the accompanying activities include a bazaar for handicrafts and popular foods with the participation of local community women, and a Jordanian tent, "The House of Hair," which displays aspects of Bedouin heritage and hospitality customs.
The festival's activities continue until October 19, and will conclude with the announcement of competition results, the distribution of awards, and the graduation of children participating in the theater workshop.
