Amman, May 16 (Petra) -- The 21st edition of the Liberal Theatre International Festival commenced on Saturday evening at the Royal Cultural Center in Amman, running concurrently with the 7th Liberal Youth Theatre Festival.

The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of Minister of Culture Mustafa Rawashdeh in the presence of sector stakeholders and Tunisian Ambassador to Jordan Mofida Al-Zaribi. The event opened with a visual presentation showcasing the historic neighborhoods, old train station, and downtown core of Amman.

The ceremony featured a musical and theatrical performance titled "Dakhlek Ya Zayzafounah," written and directed by the head of the Liberal Theatre Troupe, Eyad Shatnawi. Produced by the Liberal Theatre, the showcase brought together generations of Jordanian artists, including Festival Director Ali Alayan, Rula Jaradat, Areej Dababneh, Rami Shafiq, Mohammad Taha, Moatasem Fahmawi, Mohammad Smeirat, and Karam Al-Zawahreh.

During the honoring ceremony, Rawashdeh, alongside ministry and festival officials, presented honorary awards to prominent Jordanian artists in recognition of their career contributions to the arts.

Following the main ceremony, the youth track of the festival opened with a performance of the play "The Two Dressmakers," directed by Sara Abu Al-Saud, at the Mahmoud Abu Gharib Theatre. The screening was attended by artists and delegates from Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Oman.

The six-day festival will showcase a lineup of local and Arab theatrical productions.

The youth competition track will feature several local productions.

In addition to theatrical performances, the festival itinerary includes panel discussions and interactive sessions.

Participating troupes in the youth category will compete for several institutional awards, including the Gold and Silver Liberal Theatre Awards for Best Integrated Performance. Individual performance awards include the Yasser Al-Masri Gold Award for Best Actor, the Renad Thalji Gold Award for Best Actress, the Liberal Theatre Gold Award for Best Scenography, the Samir Khwaldeh Gold Award for Best Director, and the Special Jury Prize for exceptional creative merit.

//Petra// AF

16/05/2026 23:47:11