Festival of Singing in Classical Arabic

The Festival of Singing in Classical Arabic is a music festival organized by the Ministry of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, supported by the Quality of Life Program, one of the Saudi Vision 2030 realization programs. The festival aims to strengthen the audience's connection to the Arabic language and enhance its presence in society and in cultural and entertainment activities, as it is a key component of Saudi national identity.

The first edition of the festival was held at Abu Bakr Salem Theater in "Riyadh Boulevard City", Riyadh City, on May 12, 2022.

The events of the first edition of the Festival of Singing in Classical Arabic included the performance of a collection of classical and Arabic songs sung in classical Arabic, as well as recitations of poems from Arab heritage. These included the poem 'Wa Lama Iltaqayna' (When We Met) by Qays Ibn al-Mulawwah, and modern poems by poets like Nizar Qabbani's 'Hal Indaki Shak' (Do You Have Doubts) and Hassan al-Marwani's 'Ana wa Layla' (Layla and I).

The festival's first night featured performances by Arab artists such as Bader Hakeem, Jahida Wehbe, and Lotfi Bouchnak. The events resumed on May 20, 2022, concluding with a musical concert by the artist Kadim al-Sahir and the artist Zeina Imad.

The Ministry of Culture launched the second edition of the Festival of Singing in Classical Arabic on September 29, 2022, at Abu Bakr Salem Theater. The event featured several Arab artists who performed well-known classical works, along with rising Saudi and Arab talents. This edition included four musical concerts, held on September 29-30 and October 5-6, 2022.

The third edition of the Festival of Singing in Classical Arabic, which commenced on October 12, 2023, featured four musical nights in Classical Arabic. The festival included musical performances by several artists from the Kingdom and the Arab world, presenting a selection of classical, patriotic songs, and sung classical poems. It also showcased rising artists. The concerts combined classical works and modern performances, with recitations of prominent poems from Arab heritage, all held at Abu Bakr Salem Theater in Boulevard Riyadh City, in the capital, Riyadh.

The third edition of the festival coincided with the 2023 Year of Arabic Poetry initiative, aimed at reviving the history of Arabic poetry, enhancing its presence in human civilization, establishing its future richness, and securing its rightful place among the world's literature and arts.

Arabic is one of the most widely spoken languages, and the United Nations has designated December 18 as World Arabic Language Day. This celebration coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of the declaration of Arabic as an official language of the United Nations, which is spoken by over 450 million people worldwide. The Kingdom celebrates and values the Arabic language to enhance its status locally, regionally, and globally. Article One of the Kingdom's constitution states that Arabic is the official language of the country.

The Education and Training Evaluation Commission (ETEC) has launched a global initiative for the academic accreditation of centers and programs teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, as part of the Kingdom's efforts to serve the Arabic language. Additionally, King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language has launched 'Arabic Programming', a global technical challenge to promote the digitization of the Arabic language, and the 'Arabic Language Index', a quantitative and qualitative measure to monitor the status of the Arabic language worldwide.

The Kingdom has celebrated the Arabic language through several initiatives and events to strengthen this cultural component, including naming the year 2023 as the 'Year of Arabic Poetry'.