The 10th edition of the International Festival of University Theatre of Fes (FITUF), held from 6 to 10 May, paid a vibrant tribute on Thursday evening to the Emirati director and playwright, Marei Al Halyane.
During a ceremony attended by a panel of academics, artists, and playwrights, participants highlighted the rich and exceptional career of Al Halyane, who abandoned poetry and journalism to immerse himself in theatre.
Speaking on this occasion, the Emirati director expressed his pride in this tribute paid to him far from his country, stressing in this context that he learned a lot from Moroccan artists and actors who performed on the cultural scene in Sharjah.
This heartfelt tribute was also marked by a theatrical performance by the Theatre Academy of Rome, Italy, written and directed by Fabio Omedei.
Initiated by the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University in partnership with the Faculty of Legal, Economic and Social Sciences, the FITUF aims to share theatrical experiences and expertise, exchange ideas between artists and actors, and debate issues related to artistic creativity.
The Festival, which has become an unmissable cultural event and a platform for promoting creativity and education in citizenship, sees the participation of troupes representing China, Bulgaria, Serbia, Italy, Germany, Cameroon, and the Sultanate of Oman, as well as Morocco.
The Festival features numerous prizes, including the Grand Prix of Sheikh Abdul Aziz Ben Humaid Al Nuaimi, President of the Ajman Theatre in the United Arab Emirates.
This edition of the Festival will also pay tribute to the Moroccan artist Naïma El Mcherqui.
The FITUF programme also includes training workshops on directing, scenography, and physical expression led by academics and playwrights, the signing of publications, and discussion meetings.
The Festival jury, chaired by Az-Eddine Bounite, also includes Majida Benkirane, Said Aït Baja, Fahd El Kerrat, and Jawad Sounani.
The previous edition of the FITUF saw the participation of a dozen theatrical troupes from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, Ivory Coast, the Central African Republic, Sudan, Palestine, Qatar, and Morocco.
