Committed to sharing the delight of traditional Arabic art-forms with new generations of children and young people, the Abu Dhabi Festival’s Community Programme is hosting a range of workshops and performances focused on storytelling. Reviving the art of storytelling, as well as traditional Emirati culture and customs, the Abu Dhabi Festival activities will reach communities across the Emirates.

In collaboration with the Sharjah Department of Culture and Information, storyteller extraordinaire Abdulaziz Al Musallam will lead a session entitled ‘Tales of the Emirates at Dar Zayed’. Breathing new life into traditional Emirati fairy tales, the children of Dar Zayed Orphanage in Al Ain will be entertained by stories full of mystical creatures and enchanting adventures. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, 20th March, the Festival will join forces with The Kharareef (Storytelling) Club at Zayed University to celebrate World Storytelling Day. A packed cultural day, hosted at a farm in Al Ain, will give students the opportunity to participate in storytelling in its original environment as well as the chance to reflect on Emirati traditions, customs and food preparation.

Speaking about the importance of maintaining traditional art forms, the Abu Dhabi Festical’s Founder and Artistic Director, Her Excellency Mrs. Hoda I Al Khamis Kanoo explained: “Each year, the Festival’s thriving Community Programme celebrates the legacy of ‘Bilad Al Khayr’ – ‘The Land of Blessings’ from the late Sheikh Zayed. Storytelling has long been an important part of Arabic culture. Through its variety of storytelling initiatives, the Abu Dhabi Festival realises its ongoing commitments to both re-awakening an awareness of traditional artforms amongst the next generation, but also providing opportunities for them to uphold customs and learn about preserving their traditions.”

The Abu Dhabi Festival’s Community Programme also features the ever-popular Hakawati tour. Sharing the stories of Al Tanboori, the traditional Hakawati troupe of actors are bringing to llife the mythical characters of Arabia through puppetry in their tour of the UAE.

To find out more about the Abu Dhabi Festival Community Programme and for further information and details of the full Abu Dhabi Festival programme, ‘like’ us on Facebook and ‘follow’ us on Twitter, or visit www.abudhabifestival.ae

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