Tunisian Cultural Days celebrations to conclude in Irbid today

IRBID — The Tunisian Cultural Days, organised by the Ministry of Culture to celebrate the selection of Irbid as the Arab Capital of Culture for 2022, conclude on Sunday.

The cultural days, which were inaugurated on Thursday evening by Minister of Culture Haifa Najjar, featured art exhibitions, displaying ceramic art and Arabic calligraphy, as well as a workshop on mosaic art.

They also included musical performances from Tunisian cultural heritage and an immersive exhibition, which displayed a number of Tunisian museums and archaeological sites using virtual reality technology. 

During the opening, Najjar welcomed guests and representatives of the Tunisian Ministry of Culture, noting that Jordan is their “second home”.

She also described the occasion as an opportunity for more forms of cooperation to bring the two countries together.

Jordan and Tunisia have the same path in their preparations for the future, she said, noting that both countries are “partners”, learning from each other’s experiences and taking pride in their own. 

“These cultural days in Irbid are part of a Jordanian cultural project” that is to be extended over the upcoming years, as Jordan prepares for its second centennial with “high spirits, unprecedented efforts and continuous work within a clear vision”, Najjar added.

Moreover, Jordan, which takes pride in celebrating the Jordanian poet Mustafa Wahbi Al Tal “Arar” as an Arab symbol for culture for the year 2022, is capable of bringing forth many other distinguished artists, poets and intellectuals, she said, stressing the importance of honing the potentials of youth. 

Deputising for the Tunisian Minister of Culture Hayat Al Qarmazi, head of the Tunisian delegation Mahdi Najjar said that Irbid earned its title due its cultural assets, describing the city as “the pride of the North and Jordan’s daisy”. 

“Organising the Tunisian Cultural Days in the midst of Irbid is evidence of the depth and authenticity of the brotherly relations bringing the two countries together”, opening the door for more forms of productive cooperation in all cultural domains, he added, noting that culture is an essential factor in advancing the unity of Arab countries.

Najjar also said that it is an “honour” to celebrate Irbid as the Arab Capital of Culture through myriad forms of art and literature, introducing Tunisian culture and showing the creativity of its people in addition to their contributions to the Arab cultural scene. 

Tunisian Cultural Days also included the display of the “Railway Men” documentary film by director Erige Sehiri and featured a joint Jordanian-Tunisian cultural evening in Arar’s Cultural House in Irbid on Friday as well as a poetry reading on Saturday. 

Events conclude on Sunday with the display of “The Man Who Became a Museum”, a documentary film by director Marwen Trabelsi and a seminar on the cultural roots of Tunisian cinema.