Qatar Foundation’s D’reesha Performing Arts Festival is preparing to showcase talents of young innovative artists within Qatar and the region to global audiences during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
The second edition of D’reesha will be held from December 11 to 18 in the Education City Oxygen Park with an aim to unlock the talent of people in fields ranging from arts, theatre, music, and poetry to storytelling, education, science and research.
“D’reesha reflects the love of art, and the country’s aspirations to be a centre for arts and culture,” said Ameera Al Aji, Community Arts Lead at QF and a member of the organising team for D’reesha.
“It aims to engage a new generation to make performance and artistic expression part of their lives and continue the artistic legacy that has passed through Qatar’s history. We are very excited to be organising this year’s edition of the D’reesha Performing Arts Festival in the run-up to and during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which will win the hearts and minds of new global audiences,” she added.
One of the key elements of QF’s focus on community development is its commitment to promoting, preserving, celebrating, and consolidating the unique identity and spirit of Qatar and the Arab world by blending tradition and modernity.
QF’s D’reesha Festival reflects this by providing an opportunity for young people from throughout Qatar to explore their curiosity, creativity and uniqueness, helping to support their quest for learning, according to Al Aji.
“This year’s festival will look to highlight the main theme of ‘Travel and Adventure’, focusing on the fundamental roots of the Arab world and its culture, promoting, preserving, and celebrating the region’s identity and spirit, combining tradition and modernity for a unique and educational experience. And this will be reflected through the festival in the fields of performances, arts, culture, invention, and innovation,” she said.
Al Aji highlighted that D’reesha takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining science, research, education, and society; and the festival demonstrates how QF’s Education City is a hub of knowledge that inspires lifelong learning and exploration. “D’reesha will provide youth with the opportunity to present performances in a variety of forms, which will enable people to learn more about Qatar’s rich culture, heritage, and traditions,” she said.
“Our youth has a great deal of potential in the performing arts, and there is a need for platforms that allow these talents to be absorbed and demonstrated, either as groups or individuals. Through D’reesha, we want to provide such a space for young people to express themselves in creative ways, revive the various performing arts, empower creative energies in Qatar and the region, and enrich the creativity of the Arab world," she added. Registration to enrol as a performer closes on September 11.
