Under the auspices of Dr. Alaa Abdel Hadi, head of the Egyptian Writers' Union, the Screenplay and Drama Section, led by Dr. Ahlam Abu Nuwara, organized a cultural event titled "Egyptian Theater and Our Cultural Identity" at the union's headquarters in Zamalek. The event featured a notable Arab presence, with a Libyan theatrical delegation participating in the "Auladna International Festival". Dr. Abu Nuwara welcomed attendees and explained the philosophy behind the symposium's title, highlighting theater's role in expressing social and intellectual transformations.
The event began with the Egyptian national anthem, followed by Dr. Abu Nuwara's opening speech. She emphasized that Egyptian theater has never been just a form of entertainment, but rather a mirror of society's aspirations and a platform for dialogue. The symposium is part of a series of specialized discussions aimed at opening up areas of debate between different generations on issues of text, performance, and cultural awareness. Several experts participated, including Hassan Al-Wazir, Dr. Rasha Abdel Monem, Dr. Mohy Abdel Hay, and Nasser El-Azabi.
Hassan Al-Wazir stressed that Egyptian theater is a human product with its own specificity and cannot be reduced to imported models. He cited his experiences with the "Papyrus" project and the play "Abu Al-Arif", emphasizing that preserving identity does not mean isolation, but rather conscious openness to the world. Dr. Rasha Abdel Monem discussed the challenges of writing and production, arguing that restoring identity requires greater freedom for writers to express societal issues without resorting to foreign products.
Dr. Mohy Abdel Hay noted the widening gap between theater and its audience due to the focus on modern media, calling for a reevaluation of the nature of texts presented to restore a direct relationship with the recipient. Nasser El-Azabi emphasized that theater is one of the closest mediums to the audience, stressing that identity is not preserved through slogans, but through good, creative, and aware texts that can relate to reality.
The event featured a notable Libyan presence, with a delegation participating in the "Auladna International Festival for Arts of People with Special Needs". Mohamed Mustafa Al-Salini Al-Fituri, head of the Libyan delegation, expressed gratitude to the Egyptian Writers' Union and highlighted the delegation's participation with a play aimed at integrating people with special needs into society.
The Libyan delegation's play, "Rights on the Road", presents a societal prescription for how to contain and utilize the talents of people with special needs. The poet Abu Al-Futouh Al-Bur'asi emphasized that the issue of identity transcends the boundaries of theatrical text to reach the core of Arab cultural communication and collective memory.
The event concluded with an open dialogue and a ceremony honoring creative individuals. The discussion was attended by Ahmed Farouk Al-Hijin, Ahmed Abu Talib, Mohamed Khudair, and Majdi Bakri, among others. The symposium provided a platform for experts to exchange ideas and perspectives on the role of theater in preserving cultural identity.
Key points
- The event highlighted the importance of theater in expressing social and intellectual transformations and preserving cultural identity.
- Experts emphasized the need for greater freedom for writers to express societal issues and for conscious openness to the world.
- The event featured a notable Libyan presence, with a delegation participating in the "Auladna International Festival for Arts of People with Special Needs".
