The 39th edition of the Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts will commence on Wednesday, July 23, under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II, and will continue until August 2. This year’s festival carries the slogan: “Here is Jordan… and its glory continues,” emphasizing the ongoing cultural movement in Jordan and its deep roots.

This year, the festival will present more than 235 artistic and cultural events, including concerts by prominent local and Arab stars, theatrical performances, distinguished literary and cultural programs, poetry evenings featuring around 140 poets, exhibitions of fine arts and handicrafts, folkloric shows from Jordan and around the world, in addition to segments dedicated to children and families.

Events in Jerash and Other Governorates

The events will take place at various sites within the ancient city of Jerash, including the Southern Theater, Northern Theater, Main Square, Sound and Light Theater, and Artemis Theater. Parallel activities will also be held in several Jordanian governorates, most notably the capital Amman, Zarqa, Irbid, Madaba, Tafila, and others, as part of expanding the festival’s cultural reach.

Al-Rawashdeh: Jerash as a Cultural and Humanitarian Window Reflecting Jordan’s Civilized Face

Minister of Culture and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for the festival, Mustafa Al-Rawashdeh, affirmed that the festival’s continuity over four decades reflects the stability enjoyed by Jordan and embodies the state’s commitment to supporting serious culture and arts, presenting a civilized image of Jordan as an open country that preserves its cultural heritage.

Al-Rawashdeh added that the festival serves as a platform for cultural dialogue, strengthening concepts of national identity and belonging. He noted that this year’s festival represents an advanced step in consolidating Jordan’s position as a soft power in the region, and as a cultural and humanitarian message intersecting with sustainable development and the discourse of the Jordanian state.

Samawi: The Festival Enhances Cultural Exchange and Celebrates Arab and Global Creativity

Festival Executive Director Ayman Samawi stated that this year’s edition includes artistic and cultural participation from 37 Arab and foreign countries, offering a rich program featuring some of the most prominent Arab artists, including Nassif Zeytoun, Ahlam, Mayada El Hennawy, Noor Mohanna, Joseph Atiyeh, Melhem Zein, Khaled Abdulrahman, Mohamed Hamaki, and Asala Nasri. The festival will open with a concert by Jordanian artist Omar Al-Abdallat at the Northern Theater.

Samawi confirmed that the slogan “Here is Jordan… and its glory continues” reflects a profound cultural message that celebrates creativity, tolerance, and innovation, while strengthening a unified national identity in a changing world.

He also pointed out that the festival dedicates extensive space for Jordanian and Arab writers and intellectuals through distinguished seminars and literary evenings, alongside musical and artistic events held across the festival’s theaters in Jerash and Amman, reaffirming the cultural and national scope of this event.

Cultural Program: Narrative, Poetry, Philosophy, and Sense of Place

The cultural program includes literary and intellectual seminars and forums, most notably the Ghalib Halsa Novel Award, the Forum on Transformations in Arabic Narrative in the Digital Age, seminars on the aesthetics of place and cultural identity in Jordanian cities, the 13th Arab Philosophical Conference with researchers from several Arab countries, and intellectual seminars in cooperation with the Jordanian Writers’ Union discussing issues related to Palestine, intellectual property, urban history, narrative, and cultural memory.

The festival also includes the “Bashayer Jerash” program celebrating youth creativity, events for Arabic calligraphy and painting, and art exhibitions for visually impaired children as part of the “Fragrance of Color” project supervised by artist Suhail Bqaeen.

Theatrical and Musical Activities for Children and Families

The festival offers daily programs for families and children, including theatrical performances, entertainment activities, and workshops in collaboration with the Artists’ Association and Zaha Cultural Center, alongside shadow play and storytelling shows.

The Festival: A Window to the World

This year, the Jerash Festival hosts folkloric and artistic groups from more than 20 countries, including Romania, Korea, India, China, Spain, Azerbaijan, Sudan, Georgia, Algeria, and others. This maintains the festival’s status as a national event with a global dimension, reflecting Jordan’s spirit of openness and enhancing its position as one of the most prestigious cultural and artistic festivals in the region.