KUWAIT: A magnificent concert, dubbed “Ghanawi Arabiya” (Arabian Song), drew the curtain on the 24th International Music Festival at the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center on Friday. A constellation of Arab singing stars, including Bader Nouri, Musaed Al-Tattan, Mohammad Asdi, Ghanima Al-Anzi, Abdullah Al-Fadhli and Saud Al-Fayez, led by maestro Dr Khaled Al-Nouri, performed popular traditional songs.

Assistant Secretary-General of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Letters (NCCAL) and President of the Festival Musaed Al-Zamel said the higher committee of the festival decided to honor Mohammad Al-Baloushi as the personality of this year’s event. Baloushi and a number of celebrated artists, who were also honored, have made contributions to the music field, Zamel said in a speech during the closing ceremony.

Ghanima Al-Anzi

He noted the coming session of the annual festival will celebrate Kuwait’s selection by the Arab League as Capital of Arab Culture and Media 2025. The celebrations will be supported by Minister of Information and Culture Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi and NCCAL Secretary-General Dr Mohammad Al-Jassar, he added. The festival is part of an annual series organized by NCCAL since 1998 to commemorate Kuwaiti and Arab musical legacy. – KUNA