TEHRAN- The 20th edition of the Saqqez International Kurdish Theater Festival will be held with a focus on the Kurdish language and indigenous customs, the organizers have announced. 

The festival aims at performing works in Kurdish to play a vital role in strengthening the region’s cultural heritage and traditional rituals, ISNA quoted Hamidreza Khoshbakht, the secretary of the event, as saying on Monday.  

"A total of 39 works from various cities and countries have been submitted to this event, of which 25 are from domestic groups and 14 from Syria, Turkey, and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region,” he explained.

He further elaborated on the preparation process for the event: "The submission of works began in July, and after an initial review, the festival's judging panel completed the evaluation. From these submissions, 10 performances have been chosen for the final round."

Khoshbakht underscored that the festival is held to honor the Kurdish language and culture: "All performances in the festival will be conducted in Kurdish, aiming to make a meaningful contribution to the preservation and promotion of the Kurdish language and traditions."

Regarding the criteria for selecting works, he said: "A fresh perspective, focus on culture and customs, national unity and solidarity, attention to the slogan of the year centered on participation and investment, as well as the strengthening of Kurdish literature and language, were among the most important evaluation indicators."

He also announced a positive reception from artists for the upcoming edition: "This year we have seen significantly greater participation compared to previous years, and we hope the festival will be more magnificent than ever, with the collaboration of artists, the public, and officials from the city and province."

He additionally mentioned plans to elevate the festival's academic level in future editions: "Special attention will be given to scriptwriting, involving experts in Kurdish language and theater, and there are plans to include a children's and youth section. Although this part will not be held this year, we aim to add it in upcoming festivals."

The 20th Saqqez International Kurdish Theater Festival will commence on Wednesday, with the participation of domestic and international theatre groups, in the western Iranian city of Saqqez, Kordestan province.

SAB/