TEHRAN – The 9th Navaye Rahmat International Daf Festival opened on Tuesday during an open-air ceremony in the Shano Park of the city of Sanandaj, which is considered as the birthplace of the daf instrument.

A large number of daf players from across Iran and several neighboring countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan packed into the park to take part in the opening performance of the four-day festival.
   
Music ensembles from Iran as well as groups from India, Afghanistan and Pakistan have been invited to perform in various categories of the festival, which has selected the motto “Art, Unity and Kindness”.

Pakistani qawwali groups are also scheduled to perform on the sidelines of the festival, which aims to promote religious mystical music.

The daf is a frame drum, which is common in both the artistic music and popular traditions of Persia.

Photo: Daf players attend the opening ceremony of the 9th Navaye Rahmat International Daf Festival in Shano Park in the western Iranian city of Sanandaj on August 13, 2019. (ISNA/Farshid Ardalan)

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