2008 Arab Capital of Culture

Cultural initiative to promote Arab Culture

2008 Arab Capital of Culture

Dates| 2008
Location(s)| Damascus, Syria
Website| http://damascus.org.sy/index.php

The 2008 Arab Capital of Culture was chosen to be Damascus, Syria. The Arab Capital of Culture is an initiative undertaken by UNESCO,[1] under the Cultural Capitals Program, to promote and celebrate Arab culture and encourage cooperation in the Arab region. The preparation for the festivity began in February 2007 with the establishing of the Administrative Committee for “Damascus Arab Capital of Culture" by a presidential decree.

## Events

[edit]

The festival's events included:

### January

[edit]

* Naseeb, a musical concert by Abed Azrie.[2]

### February

[edit]

* Sah al-Nom, a musical by the Lebanese legendary diva Fairouz.[3]
* Doxbox: Festival of Documentary Film, the first Documentary film festival in the middle east.[4]
* Opera of Carmen, by Georges Bizet.[5]
* An oud concert by Anouar Brahem.[6]

### March

[edit]

* A musical concert by the Orchestra of Mari.[7]
* Bahok, a dance performance by Akram Khan.[8]
* House of Cinema, a celebration of Arab cinema.[9]
* World Poetry Day, a series of poetry workshops in celebration of the World Poetry Day.[10]

### April

[edit]

* A musical concert by Italian opera orchestra I Solisti Veneti.[11]

### May

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* Women Sing... Their Voices Converse, a music performance by Arab female musicians at Azm Palace.[12]

### June

[edit]

* The Return of Ali Bey, a street theatre and music performance about Ali Bey al-Abbasi.[13]
* Just Flamenco, a Flamenco performance by Spanish bailora Isabel Bayon.[14]
* In Tribute to World Refugee Day, a concert by Naseer Shamma.[15]

### July

[edit]

* World Music Nights, a series of concerts by groups from different parts of the world, with focus on ethnic music. The concerts included Dhafer Youssef, Pink Martini, Faudel, Johnny Clegg, Angelique Kidjo, Lena Chamamyan and Tinariwen.
* Classical Music Nights, a series of classical music concerts in tribute to Solhi al-Wadi.[16]
* The Falcon: Abdulrahman al-Dakhel, a dance show by the Syrian dance group Inana about Abd ar-Rahman I, the first Umayyad Caliphate in Spain.[17]
* Julio Iglesias performing at the Roman theatre of Bosra.[18]

### August

[edit]

* A series of concerts by the Lebanese musician Ziad Rahbani at the Citadel of Damascus. It was the first time Rahbani performs in Syria.[19]
* The Festival of Oak of Mallajeh, the 12th edition of this annual cultural festival was held under the patronage of Arab Capital of Culture festival.[20]

### September

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* Spiritual Music Days, a series of concerts by a number of traditional and spiritual musical groups.[21]
* Memory Club hosts Colette Khoury, an event and talk by the Syrian writer.[22]

### October

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* Zenobia, an opera by Luca Antonio Predieri about the Zenobia, the Syrian queen of Palmyra.[23]
* A series of concerts by Lebanese artist Julia Boutros at the Citadel of Damascus.[24]
* An Orient of Palaces: Claude Shaeffer and the Royal Palace of Ugarit, an exhibition at the National Museum of Damascus.[25]

### November

[edit]

* World Ceramics: Masterpieces from the Victoria and Albert Museum, an exhibition.[26][27]
* Damascus International Film Festival, in its 16th edition was held under the patronage of the festival.[28]
* Contract, a dance performance by the Myosotis Dance Theatre Group.[29]

### December

[edit]

* An adaption of A Streetcar Named Desire directed by Ghassan Massoud.[30]
* Aramel on the Bicycle, a play by Jawad al-Assadi.[31]
* And we also love life... a tribute to Mahmoud Darwish, a series of concerts by Lebanese musician Marcel Khalife. The tour included in addition to Damascus concerts in the cities of Latakia, Homs and Aleppo.[32]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Herbert, Ian; Nicole Leclercq; International Theatre Institute (2003). The World of Theatre: An Account of the World's Theatre Seasons 1999-2000, 2000-2001 and 2001-2002. Routledge. p. 225. ISBN 0-415-30621-3.
2. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-03-20. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
3. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
4. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
5. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
6. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-04-04. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
7. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-05-03. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
8. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-05-03. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
9. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-05-03. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
10. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-05-03. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
11. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-06-16. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
12. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-05-02. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
13. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
14. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
15. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
16. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-08-03. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
17. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-08-06. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
18. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-08-03. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
19. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-09-12. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
20. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-09-13. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
21. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-09-12. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
22. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-09-12. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
23. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-12-08. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
24. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-12-08. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
25. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-12-08. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
26. ^ "Touring exhibitions - Victoria and Albert Museum". Archived from the original on 2009-01-29. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
27. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
28. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
29. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
30. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
31. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2009-01-23.
32. ^ "برنامج الاحتفالية". Archived from the original on 2008-12-16. Retrieved 2009-01-23.

## External links

[edit]

* Official Website of Damascus Arab Capital of Culture 2008

* v
* t
* e

Arab Capital of Culture

* Cairo 1996 (Egypt)
* Tunis 1997 (Tunisia)
* Sharjah 1998 (United Arab Emirates)
* Beirut 1999 (Lebanon)
* Riyadh 2000 (Saudi Arabia)
* Kuwait City 2001 (Kuwait)
* Amman 2002 (Jordan)
* Rabat 2003 (Morocco)
* Sanaʽa 2004 (Yemen)
* Khartoum 2005 (Sudan)
* Muscat 2006 (Oman)
* Algiers 2007 (Algeria)
* Damascus 2008 (Syria)
* Jerusalem 2009 (Palestine)
* Doha 2010 (Qatar)
* Sirte 2011 (Libya)
* Manama 2012 (Bahrain)
* Baghdad 2013 (Iraq)
* Tripoli 2014 (Libya)
* Constantine 2015 (Algeria)
* Sfax 2016 (Tunisia)
* Luxor 2017 (Egypt)
* Oujda 2018 (Morocco)
* Port Sudan 2019 (Sudan)
* Bethlehem 2020 (Palestine)
* Irbid 2021 (Jordan)
* Kuwait City 2022 (Kuwait)
* Tripoli 2023 (Lebanon)

* v
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Damascus

Historic and
other landmarks|

* Al-Azem Palace
* Khan As'ad Pasha
* Straight Street
* Mausoleum of Saladin
* Umayyad Mosque
* Citadel of Damascus
* Grand Serail of Damascus
* Khadra Palace
* Nur al-Din Bimaristan
* Maktab Anbar
* Muhajreen Palace
* Hejaz Train Station
* Statue of Saladin
* Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
* Temple of Jupiter
* Tishreen Palace
* Al-Shaab Palace
* October War Panorama

Madrasas and takiyyas|

* Al-Adiliyah Madrasa
* Al-Shamiyah al-Kubra Madrasa
* Al-Fathiyah Madrasa
* Al-Mujahidiyah Madrasa
* Al-Qilijiyah Madrasa
* Al-Rukniyah Madrasa
* Al-Sahiba Madrasa
* Salimiyya Madrasa
* Al-Sibaiyah Madrasa
* Al-Zahiriyah Library
* Nur al-Din Madrasa
* Salimiyya Takiyya
* Sulaymaniyya Takiyya

Mosques|

* Aqsab
* Darwish Pasha
* Hanabila
* Ibn 'Arabi Mosque (Salimiyya Mosque)
* Murad Pasha
* Nabi Habeel
* Sayyidah Ruqayyah
* Sinan Pasha
* Sulaymaniyya Takiyya Mosque
* Umayyad
* Yalbugha

Churches|

| Catholic|

* Chapel of Saint Ananias
* Chapel of Saint Paul
* Cathedral of Our Lady of the Dormition
* Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Saint Paul

|

Eastern Orthodox|

* Mariamite Cathedral

Oriental Orthodox|

* Syriac Cathedral of Saint George

Synagogues|

* Elfrange Synagogue
* Jobar Synagogue
* Menarsha Synagogue
* Racqy Synagogue

Historic gates|

* Bab al-Faradis
* Bab al-Jabiyah
* Bab al-Saghir
* Bab al-Salam
* Bab Kisan
* Bab Sharqi
* Bab Tuma

Souqs and caravanserais|

* Jaqmaq Caravansarai
* As'ad Pasha Caravansarai
* Sulayman Pasha Caravansarai
* Al-Harir Caravansarai
* Midhat Pasha Souq
* Al-Hamidiyah Souq
* Al-Buzuriyah Souq

Culture and
education|

* National Museum of Damascus
* Al-Assad National Library
* Damascus Opera House
* Damascus University
* National University Hospital
* Syrian Virtual University
* International University for Science and Technology
* Syrian Private University
* Arab International University
* Higher Institute for Applied Science and Technology
* Higher Institute of Music in Damascus
* Higher Institute for Dramatic Arts
* National Institute of Public Administration
* Damascus Community School
* Lycée Charles de Gaulle
* Shami Hospital

Entertainment|

* Bakdash (ice cream parlor)
* Bawabet Dimashq
* Havana Cafe
* Beit al-Mamlouka Hotel
* Blue Tower Hotel
* Four Seasons Hotel Damascus

Streets and squares|

* Baghdad Street
* Marjeh Square
* Rawda Square
* Sabaa Bahrat Square
* Umayyad Square
* Yusuf al-Azma Square

Nature|

* Barada River
* Pharpar River
* Mount Qasioun
* Salera Hill
* Ghouta

Sport|

| Venues|

* Abbasiyyin Stadium
* Al-Fayhaa Sports Complex
* Al-Fayhaa Stadium
* Al-Jalaa Stadium
* Tishreen Stadium
* Al-Muhafaza Stadium
* Al-Fayhaa Sports Arena

|

Clubs|

* Al-Jaish SC
* Al-Majd SC
* Al-Muhafaza SC
* Al-Nidal SC
* Al-Shorta SC
* Al-Wahda SC
* Barada SC

Municipal districts|

* Old Damascus
* Sarouja
* Qanawat
* Jobar
* Al-Midan
* Al-Shaghour
* Qadam
* Kafr Sousa
* Mezzeh
* Dummar
* Barzeh
* Qaboun
* Rukn al-Din
* Al-Salihiyah
* Muhajreen
* Yarmouk

Timeline
(List of rulers)|

* Aram
* Siege (634)
* Jund Dimashq
* Burid dynasty
* Siege (1148)
* Eyalet
* Affair
* Protocol
* State
* Battle (1941)
* International Airport
* 1976 Pan Arab Games
* World Military Cup 1977
* International Film Festival
* 1981 Azbakiyah bombing
* 1986 bombings
* 1992 Pan Arab Games
* Spring
* 2002 West Asian Football Federation Championship
* 2004 WABA Champions Cup
* Declaration
* 2008 Arab Capital of Culture
* 2008 Arab League summit
* 2008 car bombing
* 2011 bombings
* 2011–2012 clashes
* January 2012 al-Midan bombing
* March 2012 bombings
* April 2012 bombings
* May 2012 bombings
* Battle (2012)
* July 2012 bombing
* 2017 bombings
* 2024 Fall

* Category

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