Artists perform at the opening ceremony of the 12th International Festival for Drums and Traditional Arts in Cairo, Egypt, June 19, 2026. The 12th annual International Festival for Drums and Traditional Arts kicked off Friday evening at the Cairo Opera House under the theme "Drums Dialogue for Peace," featuring folklore troupes from several countries. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
CAIRO, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The 12th annual International Festival for Drums and Traditional Arts kicked off Friday evening at the Cairo Opera House under the theme "Drums Dialogue for Peace," featuring folklore troupes from several countries.
Running until June 23, the event is organized under the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, in cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Dialogue Foundation for the Arts of Peoples' Cultures.
Held for the first time at the open-air courtyard of the Cairo Opera House, the opening ceremony showcased traditional Egyptian songs and rhythmic performances.
Musical troupes came from Egypt, Palestine, Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan, China, India, Greece, and Indonesia.
The event aims to promote peace and dialogue among people through the universal language of rhythm and heritage arts, the festival's founder and president, Intesar Abdel-Fattah, told Xinhua.
"The festival enjoys genuine public popularity and serves as a cultural occasion that strengthens belonging and restores appreciation for Egyptian identity," Abdel-Fattah said.
He noted that the performances are open to the public free of charge at multiple open-air venues.
The theme resonated with attendees. Egyptian visitor Osama Gamil, who attended the opening ceremony with his family, said, "As the world witnesses so many devastating wars and conflicts today, the peoples of the world are in desperate need of peace."
Gamil added that music and drums bridge cultural divides and remind people of their shared humanity and the urgent need for harmony. ■
Artists perform at the opening ceremony of the 12th International Festival for Drums and Traditional Arts in Cairo, Egypt, June 19, 2026. The 12th annual International Festival for Drums and Traditional Arts kicked off Friday evening at the Cairo Opera House under the theme "Drums Dialogue for Peace," featuring folklore troupes from several countries. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
Artists perform at the opening ceremony of the 12th International Festival for Drums and Traditional Arts in Cairo, Egypt, June 19, 2026. The 12th annual International Festival for Drums and Traditional Arts kicked off Friday evening at the Cairo Opera House under the theme "Drums Dialogue for Peace," featuring folklore troupes from several countries. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)