Salalah -Oman will host the seventh GCC Theatre Festival for Universities and Higher Education Institutions from September 23 to 29, bringing together university theatre groups, academics and prominent artists from across the Gulf.

Represented by the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS), Oman will host the festival at the Sultan Qaboos Youth Complex for Culture and Entertainment in Salalah under the supervision of the GCC Secretariat General.

Held under the theme ‘Our Heritage Unites Us and Theatre Brings Us Together,’ the festival aims to promote student talent, artistic creativity and cultural exchange while strengthening cooperation among higher education institutions in GCC countries.

The event will feature competing performances by theatre troupes from universities and higher education institutions across the Gulf, alongside critique sessions, intellectual discussions and presentations exploring the role of theatre in society.

Among the prominent participants are Kuwaiti actor Saad Al Faraj, Qatari actor Ghanem Al Sulaiti, and Omani artists Saleh Zaaal, Fakhriya Khamis and Amina Abdulrasoul.

Dr Abdulkarim Jawad of Oman will chair the jury panel, which includes Dr Ibtisam Al Hammadi of Kuwait, Saudi theatre practitioner Abbas Al Hayek, Bahraini theatre practitioner Khalid Al Ruwaie and Qatar’s Ghanem Al Sulaiti. 

The programme will include critique sessions chaired by Dr Saeed Al Siyabi, with the participation of academics and theatre practitioners. An dialogue session will examine theatre’s role in shaping young people’s personalities, strengthening identity and values, and contributing to the development of individuals and society.

The festival will also feature ‘Theatre Messages’, highlighting theatre’s role in raising awareness, fostering creativity, strengthening identity and creating social impact.

The event reflects the GCC countries’ efforts to promote cultural cooperation among young people and reinforce university theatre as a platform for creativity, expression and dialogue.