Arabfest is celebrating its 15th anniversary. Its program will be themed around celebrations as well

Celebrations will be the main theme of this year's ARABFEST, which will take place in Pilsen from April 8 to 13. The organizers are preparing a concert and film, a lecture on the Czech footprint in the Orient, and visitors will also get to know various forms of celebrations in the Middle East.

Not just conflicts, but also a diverse culture – with this message, the organizers are hosting the 15th ARABFEST, which brings the Middle Eastern world closer. “This year, we wanted to create a truly festive atmosphere and select events that will bring a high-quality lineup of artists, creators, and experts from both the Czech Republic and Arab countries to Pilsen’s cultural scene,” says festival coordinator Michaela Vaňková. The festival kicks off on Tuesday, April 8, with an opening concert at the West Bohemian Museum in Pilsen by violinist Milan Al-Ashhab and pianist Adam Skoumal, renowned artists in both the Czech and international music scenes. Among other pieces, they will perform a special Oriental-themed composition inspired by One Thousand and One Nights.

On Wednesday, April 9, students from the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at the Faculty of Arts, University of West Bohemia, will take over the program with an Arabic language lesson featuring thematic vocabulary. Visitors will have the chance to learn basic words in a playful and interactive way. Thursday, April 10, will be dedicated to the celebration of Czech Orientalism. Adéla Macková Jůnová and Libor Jůn from the Masaryk Institute and the Oriental Archive of the Czech Academy of Sciences will present a lecture titled The Czech Footprint in the Orient. On Friday, April 11, the program will feature a screening of the award-winning Lebanese film The Box of Memories, followed by a discussion with Romanist Míla Janišová from Charles University.

As every year, the highlight of the festival will be Saturday, April 12, with the Grand Saturday Program at Papírna. “It will be a multi-genre festival featuring an Oriental market and street food, short films by Moroccan filmmakers, a workshop on non-verbal communication in the Arab world led by the Jordanian language school Ahlan World, a literary discussion with translator Jitka Jeníková, and lectures on celebrations in the Middle East presented by Arab guests,” describes ARABFEST director Daniel Krejčí, adding, “Visitors can also look forward to tastings of authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, a workshop for children, performances of Oriental dances by the Matahari Group, and a workshop on the unique Mahraganat style by Egyptian artist Islam Elarabi. In short, it will be one big hafla, the Arabic word for celebration.”

The festival will conclude on Sunday, April 13, with a Charity Brunch in the courtyard. All proceeds from voluntary contributions will be donated to the organization Pomůžu jak můžu (Helping However I Can), which supports those in need in Yemen. The Yemeni embassy will support the event by preparing traditional coffee and a national Yemeni dish.

The Festival of Arab Culture is supported by the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen and the City of Pilsen. It is held under the patronage of university rector Miroslav Lávička and is also supported by the Faculty of Arts, the Department of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of West Bohemia, the 700 Years of Pilsen Foundation, the company Lavaris, and selected Arab embassies.

All details about the events and guests can be found on the ARABFEST website.