The University Theater Initiative, organized by the Cultural Creativity Forum at the Faculty of Arts, Islamic University of Gaza, has been successfully concluded. Held with the support of the General Authority for Youth and Culture and sponsored by the Malaysian Cultural Center, the event gathered esteemed guests, including Dr. Osama Hammad, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts; Professor Dr. Kamal Ghonaim, President of the Heritage Revival and Creativity Development Foundation; Mr. Ahmed Muheisen, Director of the General Authority for Youth and Culture; Mr. Shadi Salem, President of the Malaysian Cultural Center; as well as academics and students from the Arabic Language Department.
The University Theater Initiative aimed to enrich the cultural landscape and enhance realism through a series of activities focused on training students in playwriting. It also sought to showcase the artistic talents of the participants, featuring competitions in playwriting and dramatic acting.
Dr. Hammad expressed his appreciation for the students’ dedication and underscored the crucial role of theater as a reflection of the challenging Palestinian reality and a medium to effectively convey ideas and emotions. He emphasized the significance of theater in fostering self-expression and its power to engage directly with audiences.
Professor Dr. Ghonaim highlighted the integration of university theater into the curriculum, complementing the existing drama education at the Islamic University. He emphasized the university’s ongoing collaboration with various cultural institutions to organize educational workshops and training courses covering areas such as short story writing, novel writing, and university theater.
Mr. Muheisen elaborated on the continuous efforts of the General Authority for Youth and Culture in maintaining open communication with diverse institutions. The aim is to discover and nurture individuals with artistic and cultural talents, presenting them as shining examples of Palestinian excellence to the global community.