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The 18th International Festival of the Theater Department for Specialized Theater Departments and Institutes concludes with the attendance of artist Fathy Abdel Wahab
Under the auspices of Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of Alexandria University, the 18th International Festival of the Theater Department for Specialized Theater Departments and Institutes concluded yesterday evening, Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
The festival was organized by the Theater Department of the Faculty of Arts, Alexandria University, at the Grand Theater of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
This session was named after the artist Fathy Abdel Wahab, in honor of his artistic career and in recognition of his role in enriching Arab theater and cinema. In his speech, Abdel Wahab expressed his great happiness and pride in this honor, emphasizing that academic studies were a fundamental pillar of his artistic career, as they honed his talent and gave him the ability to deeply understand texts, craft characters, and engage with audiences with awareness and creativity. Abdel Wahab emphasized that theater remains the first home that embraces artists and elevates their spirits. He expressed his great happiness with the creative youth performances that reflected renewed energy and a determination to innovate, proving that theater remains capable of bringing hearts together, unifying visions, and delivering sublime human messages, as it is the greatest invention in the world.
Dr. Mohammed Al-Sudani, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Arts for Community Service and Environmental Development, described this edition as exceptional, given its rich artistic and cultural offerings, making it a shining milestone in the festival's history. He explained that the event was not merely about artistic performances, but rather a celebration of humanity and an affirmation of the importance of art as a bridge between peoples. He also expressed his appreciation and gratitude to all participating countries, including the UAE, Jordan, Italy, Spain, and Greece, as well as the Egyptian troupes, for their performances that embodied the spirit of cooperation and innovation and contributed to enriching the theatrical scene. He noted that the festival is a celebration of identity, humanity, and the language understood by all peoples: the language of the stage, voice, movement, and action.
For her part, Dr. Manal Fouda, Head of the Theater Department, expressed her great pride in the achievements of this year's festival, emphasizing that the festival has become a true platform for honing students' talents, developing their abilities, and enhancing their artistic and academic presence. She noted the diversity that characterized the performances, reflecting the participants' openness to various theater schools and contemporary techniques, contributing to the presentation of innovative works that combined intellectual depth with visual beauty.
The six-day festival featured a variety of theatrical performances that combined classical and contemporary styles, distinguished by new directing techniques. This provided audiences and critics with an exceptional opportunity to enjoy a rich theatrical spectacle that expresses the spirit of youth and embodies the blend of cultures in a sophisticated artistic form.
The closing ceremony featured the distribution of the festival's awards, honoring the top three winning teams. Special awards were also given for Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Lead Actor, and Best Supporting Actor in recognition of their outstanding artistic efforts and creativity.
During the ceremony, director Sameh Bassiouni, director of the Vanguard Theatre, announced that prizes would be awarded to the winning teams. These teams will be given the opportunity to train at the Vanguard Theatre, a first step toward professionalization and honing their skills, opening up new horizons for them in the world of professional theatre.
Dr. Gamal Yaqout, festival supervisor, extended his deep gratitude to all those involved in organizing the festival, including committees, technical teams, volunteers, and everyone who worked behind the scenes. He praised their dedication to presenting a festival befitting the history of Alexandria University and its leading position in the Arab and international cultural scene.
Delegation of Alexandria University Students with Disabilities Visits New Administrative Capital
As part of Alexandria University's commitment to integrating students with disabilities into university and community life, and under the auspices of Professor Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of the University, and the supervision of Dr. Ali Abdelmohsen, Acting Vice President for Education and Student Affairs, and in coordination and cooperation between the Taha Hussein Centre for Services for Students with Disabilities at the University, the General Administration of Youth Care, and the University Student Union, the Education and Student Affairs Sector at Alexandria University organized an educational field visit to the New Administrative Capital on Sunday, July 13, 2025.
Fourteen students with disabilities and members of the University Student Union participated in a comprehensive and inclusive educational experience aimed at broadening their awareness of the modern state's projects and strengthening their sense of national belonging.
This initiative comes in light of the directives issued by His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during the "Differently Able" initiative celebration to promote the principle of partnership. It also implements Alexandria University's vision of building an aware generation engaged in the issues of their nation. It also falls within the Taha Hussein Centre's plan to provide an integrated university experience for students with disabilities, combining academic empowerment, cultural communication, and a sense of national belonging.
The visit included a tour of several prominent landmarks in the Administrative Capital, including:
- The National Academy for Information Technology for People with Disabilities, where students were introduced to the latest technologies and laboratories supporting visual and motor disabilities, as well as virtual reality and 3D printing laboratories.
- The Administrative Capital Authority and the Ministries District, to learn about the country's modern administrative planning and development models.
- The City of Arts and Culture, which includes the new Opera House, the Museum, and the Museum of Capitals.
Opening of the 18th of the International Theater Department Festival for Specialized Theater Departments and Institutes
Under the auspices of Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of Alexandria University, and under the supervision of Dr. Ali Abdel Mohsen, Vice President for Education and Student Affairs, and Dr. Hani Khamis, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, the 18th and First International Session of the International Theater Department Festival for Specialized Theater Departments and Institutes opened yesterday evening, Thursday, July 10, 2025. Egyptian, Arab, and international troupes from academic arts institutions in Italy, Spain, Greece, the UAE, and Jordan participated. The session was named after the artist Fathy Abdel Wahab, in recognition of his distinguished career and creativity that illuminated theater and cinema in Egypt and the Arab world. The festival will continue until July 15.
In his opening speech, Dr. Mohamed El-Sudani, Vice Dean for Community Service and Environmental Development at the Faculty of Arts, welcomed the students, artists, and guests. He emphasized the importance of the festival as a bridge connecting theater students from around the world, providing them with a space to exchange experiences and develop their artistic and creative skills. He emphasized that theater at the university is not just a subject, but rather a cultural and humanitarian message that carries awareness and enlightenment to society.
For her part, Dr. Manal Fouda, Head of the Theater Department at the Faculty of Arts and President of the Festival, explained that this session is a unique opportunity to showcase distinguished experiences and discover promising young talents who contribute to revitalizing Arab and international theater, exchanging international experiences and cultures, and diversifying the level of theater studies at the Theater Department at the Faculty of Arts, which is the first department established in Egyptian universities to teach theatrical arts.
Dr. Gamal Yaqout, the festival director, expressed his gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of this edition, emphasizing that theater will always remain a platform for enlightenment and creativity, and that Alexandria University will continue to support all arts, sciences, and cultures that contribute to shaping students' cultural and human personalities.
The opening ceremony was attended by a large number of prominent artistic and cultural figures, faculty members, and students from the Theater Department at the Faculty of Arts.
Inauguration of 15th “Arabic Language Night” at Alexandria University
Under the auspices of Professor Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of Alexandria University, Dr. Ali Abdelmohsen, Acting Vice President for Education and Student Affairs, attended the 15th Night of the Arabic Language Nights, presented by the Alexandria University Forum for Poetry and Arts, under the title "Cleopatra, Bride of the East."
The evening was held at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina's Grand Theatre. The performance was supervised and presented by Dr. Nagwa Saber, Professor in the Department of Arabic Language at the Faculty of Arts. The university choir was led by maestro Dr. Sherihan El-Heddini. The script and dramatic adaptation were by Dr. Mohamed Mekheimer, and the performance was directed by Mohamed Bahgat. Many deans and vice deans of faculties, leaders of the academic and civil society communities, faculty members, and students attended the performance.
In his speech, Dr. Ali Abdelmohsen conveyed the greetings of Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of the University, to the attendees and praised the outstanding performance he witnessed during the theatrical performance. He commended the Alexandria University Choir Group for presenting a number of distinguished musical pieces, reflecting the high artistic level of Alexandria University students. He emphasized that the University provides full support to cultural and artistic activities aimed at developing the integrated personality of students and elevating the level of art to serve the Alexandrian community. Dr. Abdelmohsen extended his greetings to everyone who participated in preparing this distinguished performance, expressing his anticipation for more such wonderful cultural and artistic events.
The performance revolved around a historical story inspired by the play "The Death of Cleopatra" by the Poet Laureate “Prince of Arab Poets” Ahmed Shawky and Shakespeare's play "Antony and Cleopatra." The dramatic events were accompanied by a musical performance performed by the University Choir Group, within an engaging and distinctive setting in classical Arabic. The performance was well-received and widely interacted with by the attendees, who expressed their appreciation for the outstanding performance that reached a distinguished artistic level.
It is worth noting that the Arabic Language Nights are held under the slogan "Our Arabic Language: Creativity and Enjoyment," with the aim of raising awareness of the beauty of the Arabic language among students, demonstrating its richness and strength through theatrical, poetic, and artistic performances, and involving university students and faculty members in these performances on stage.
In Presence of Alexandria Governor: Alexandria National University Board of Trustees Holds Its Third Meeting at University Headquarters
The Board of Trustees of Alexandria National University held its third meeting today, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at the Alexandria University headquarters. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Mohamed Nasr El-Din Demir, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and attended by Lieutenant General Ahmed Khaled, Governor of Alexandria; Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa, President of Alexandria University and Acting President of Alexandria National University; in addition to other board members.
During the meeting, the Governor of Alexandria praised the vital national role played by the National University in supporting and developing the higher education system, emphasizing that it represents a promising modern model that contributes to preparing qualified graduates capable of meeting the needs of the local and international labour markets. He also expressed the governorate's full readiness to provide all forms of institutional support to the university and to overcome any obstacles that may hinder its educational progress.
For his part, Dr. Abdelaziz Konsowa affirmed the university's commitment to providing high-quality education through distinguished academic staff and signing strategic partnerships with prestigious international universities. He also pointed out that the university is non-profit, and tuition fees are directed toward expansion and development goals, while taking into consideration the social dimension and providing scholarships to outstanding students. He added that the university provides a social support system for students in the event of the sudden death of the family's breadwinner, in addition to a comprehensive plan to periodically update laboratories and infrastructure.
Dr. Mohamed Nasr El-Din Demir expressed his pride in the continued support of Alexandria University, emphasizing that the National University is making confident strides toward achieving its mission of providing modern and distinguished university education that supports the goals of the new republic and contributes to building the Egyptian citizen on advanced scientific foundations.
The council decided to begin classes for the 2025/2026 academic year on Saturday, September 20, 2025, and to review the rules for covering student expenses until graduation in the event of the death of a guardian. It also reviewed the dual degrees signed with American and English universities, which allow university students in some disciplines to obtain both bachelor's and master's degrees upon graduation. The council also approved the establishment of a medical clinic equipped with an ambulance to provide first aid to students, staff, and faculty members.