Jersah, July 22 (Petra) -- Patronizing for His Majesty King Abdullah II, Prime Minister Jafar Hassan on Wednesday inaugurated the 40th Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts, lighting the festival flame to mark the start of the annual event.
Held this year under the slogan, "A Legacy That Endures... Generations Meet," the festival will feature more than 220 cultural and artistic events from July 23 through Aug. 2.
Minister of Culture Mustafa Rawashdeh, who also chairs the festival's Higher Committee, said the event has become an important platform on the Jordanian, Arab and international cultural scene through programs that promote dialogue among cultures and demonstrate that culture and the arts serve as a bridge for communication and cultural exchange between nations.
"At the Jerash Festival, living languages come together, and on its stages the arts of the world converge," Rawashdeh said.
He welcomed participants from Arab and friendly countries to an international festival held in the ancient city of Jerash, which historically played a key role in connecting peoples through trade routes and continues to serve as a venue for cultural, artistic and intellectual exchange supported by the Jordanian state.
Rawashdeh said the festival represents a national and humanitarian cultural landmark and reflects the state's vision of understanding the past, engaging with the present, and looking to the future. He said the festival forms an integral part of documenting the "Jordanian narrative the story of the land and its people" through its philosophy and objectives.
He added that the festival's continuity over 40 editions reflects Jordan's resilience and stability, noting that the number 40 symbolizes maturity, wisdom, youth, strength, generosity and fulfillment. He also thanked the people of Jerash for their hospitality in welcoming visitors and guests.
Rawashdeh said the festival's continuation despite regional challenges demonstrates Jordan's ability to modernize its programs and methods to keep pace with the times while using modern technologies to engage younger generations and showcase the country's cultural and civilizational heritage.
Mohammad Bani Yasin, head of the Greater Jerash Municipality Committee, said in remarks on behalf of the local community that the festival brings together the authenticity of the historic city with artistic creativity in a vibrant celebration of culture and the arts.
He said the 40th edition marks a significant milestone in the festival's artistic, organizational, and administrative development, reflecting its growing stature while reinforcing Jordan's cultural presence and enhancing the country's position on the regional and international cultural festival map.
The opening ceremony featured a specially produced performance celebrating the festival's 40th anniversary, tracing the evolution of Jordanian music from traditional folklore and heritage to independent and alternative music, culminating in contemporary works that have brought Jordanian artists to Arab and international stages.
The performance combined live music, an orchestra, a choir, visual projections and advanced lighting techniques to present an artistic narrative of four decades of Jordanian creativity.
Structured in five chapters, the production began with themes of memory and heritage before charting the development of Jordanian music and its regional and international reach. It concluded with a commemorative song marking the festival's 40th anniversary, followed by the lighting of the festival flame, an annual tradition symbolizing the continuity of the festival's cultural mission and Jordan's place on the Arab cultural landscape.
The performance featured leading Jordanian artists representing different stages in the development of Jordanian music, including Omar Al-Abdallat, Hussein Al Salman, Aziz Maraka, Nidaa Sharara and Issam Alnajjar.
The ceremony also honored two icons of Jordanian and Arab musical heritage, singer Samira Tawfik and the late artist Abdo Mousa, in a tribute celebrating both tradition and renewal.
The opening ceremony was attended by ministers, members of the Senate and the Lower House of Parliament, Syrian Minister of Culture Mohammad Yasin Saleh, heads of Arab and foreign diplomatic missions, and other officials.
//Petra// AF
