Festival hosts cultural pageant showcasing tolerance
ABU DHABI: The 2nd Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Festival (OIC Fest) organised by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and held under the patronage of Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Tolerance, in collaboration with the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), was a four-day event that took place recently. Besides being a celebration of Islamic culture, it was also a platform for Muslim countries from around the world to strengthen mutual collaboration and form new bonds.
The event featured a main stage area where Muslim scholars and thought leaders presented lectures and workshops that highlighted various aspects of Islamic culture and offered an image of Islam that transcended doctrinal misconceptions, to shape a more comprehensive understanding of Islam as a way of life.
The main stage hosted live performances by the Abu Dhabi Folklore Group, showcasing traditional UAE arts and culture. Other activities included a show by Alexandria Folklore Dance Troupe from Egypt and a display of Emirati Malid, a traditional Emirati art that embodies the UAE’S culture heritage.
Interactive areas such as a dedicated calligraphy sector displayed traditional and modern Islamic calligraphy and a children’s entertainment area featured storytelling by renowned children’s authors, highlighting the diverse range of content on offer for festival visitors.
Another key feature of the festival was the strategic positioning of the Palestine pavilion at the heart of the show, emphasising the Palestinian State’s importance to the Islamic world and its crucial status for Islamic identity. The festival celebrated Palestinian culture through mediums such as art and short films.
Held under the theme ‘One Nation Unified by Benevolent Cooperation, Justice & Tolerance’, the four-day festival was a tailored platform designed to highlight the cultures, traditions and values of the Islamic faith through music, arts and cuisine.
It coincided with the UAE’S Year of Tolerance and the 50th anniversary of the OIC and served as a gateway for Muslims to gain a greater understanding of the diversity of Islam, while providing non-muslim visitors with in-depth insights into the ability of Islam to spread the message of tolerance, unity and harmony around the world.
Among the performing arts groups were the Astana Dance Group, the Burkina Faso Folklore Group and the Abu Dhabi Folklore Group, who entertained visitors on the main stage throughout the festival. “We came to this beautiful country to be a part of this festival because we are friends with the UAE and all Islamic countries – we wanted to show how peace and friendship are very important for our country,” said Abraham Abassague, Director of the Burkina Faso Folklore Group, which represented the West African country and its population of approximately 20 million people. “Our dancing is a representation of 30 or 40 ethnic groups. We are a small country; yet we have 60 ethnic groups. The festival allows us to demonstrate friendship and harmony to the world”. The ‘Mihrab Installation’, a work of art by artists Ali Cha’aban and Khalid Zahid, proved a big draw for visitors. The dome-shaped installation was composed of a depiction of a heartbeat and its link to the Quran, underlying the fact (backed by studies) that reading the Quran lowers blood pressure and soothes the heart.
“Arabic calligraphy transcends all cultures and nationalities. There are non-arab calligraphers who have learned the art out of passion, while others have embraced the Islamic religion because of their love for this art form”, said Emirati calligrapher Mohammed Mandi, who was exhibiting at the festival.
The main stage also featured live performances of folklore groups from Indonesia and Oman, while the King Salman Center from Saudi Arabia hosted a seminar on Islam. In all, over the four days, the festival’s main stage featured 30 performances from groups and individuals representing a diverse range of Islamic countries: UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Egypt, Palestine, Indonesia, Burkina Faso, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.the main stage was also the platform for four thought-provoking seminars, addressing topics such as tolerance, cultural heritage and female empowerment.
Running alongside the cultural performances on the stage, the festival featured 12 calligraphy workshops and 19 children’s entertainment activities, including Hakawati storytelling and puppet shows; 16 Tatreez and Weaving workshops at the Palestine Pavilion and 14 painting workshops within the Palestine Pavilion. The mini stage played host to 30 performances from Oud and Qanun musicians.
“I believe music is a part of the solution of all problems we face in the world; music brings people together, it is such a beautiful and sophisticated art and it helps to spread the message of peace and tolerance. It is wonderful to see people from all nationalities and cultures gather in the festival to learn about cultures and art”, said Emirati musician Mohammed Saeed, who entertained festival visitors with his performances on the Oud. Preserving and promoting traditions and values on such a stage as the OIC Festival in Abu Dhabi was also an immensely proud moment for UAE national Shayma Almughairy – the region’s first sand artist, who showcased the principles of Islam such as justice and respect, through her unique art form.