Arab Theatre Institute and Jordan strengthen ties

Recognition of Sharjah and UAE’s cultural leadership

Minister Al-Rawashdeh praised the strategic cultural vision championed by Sharjah specifically, and the United Arab Emirates more broadly. He also shared the news that the Jordanian Prime Minister had approved a formal agreement between the Ministry and the Institute to develop amateur theatre across Jordan’s governorates, with implementation set to begin in 2025.

Building a sustainable model for amateur theatre

Abdullah and Al-Rawashdeh discussed expanding avenues of collaboration grounded in mutual respect and shared aspirations. The talks highlighted both parties’ commitment to creating effective and sustainable partnerships to nurture Arab theatre.

The meeting was attended by Ghannam Ghannam, Director of Training, Capacity Building and School Theatre at the Arab Theatre Institute; Abdul Karim Al-Jarrah, Director of the Department of Arts and Theatre; Ahmad Al-Awn, Director of the Minister’s Office; and the Minister’s advisors.

Vision for a replicable regional theatre model

Abdullah noted that the launch of the amateur theatre development project marks a significant milestone. “This is a project we have been preparing for over the years,” he said. “Together with the Ministry of Culture, we aim to create a thoroughly designed, science-based programme to support amateur theatre—a sector we believe holds the key to the future of Jordanian theatre.”

He added that the initiative also seeks to serve as a model that can be replicated in other Arab countries where amateur theatre plays a central role in the cultural landscape.

Abdullah thanked Minister Al-Rawashdeh for his enthusiastic support and his alignment with the vision of Jordanian and Arab theatre professionals.