The Secretary-General of the Arab Theater Authority, Ismail Abdullah, announced the selection of the Iraqi theater artist, Dr. Jawad Al-Asadi, to be the owner of the 16th edition of the Arab Theater Day message for the year 2023, which falls on the tenth of January; Al-Asadi will deliver the message during the opening of the thirteenth session of the Arab Theater Festival, which is organized by the authority in cooperation with the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication in the city of Casablanca.
Ismail Abdullah expressed his pride in Al-Asadi, who has a well-known footprint in Arab theater, in addition to his theoretical creations, stressing that the authority, since the start of this important day in the Arab theater calendar, has been keen to give it an importance worthy of the reality of Arab theater, its aspirations and its position on the world map.
The Secretary-General of the Arab Theater Authority mentioned, with greetings and appreciation, all the figures who continued to write the messages of this day, starting with Yaqoub Al-Shadrawi in 2008, Samiha Ayoub 2009, Ezz Al-Din Al-Madani 2010, Youssef Al-Ani 2011, Suad Abdullah 2012, Soraya Jubran 2013, His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council, Ruler of Sharjah 2014, Youssef Aidabi 2015, Zeinati Qudsia 2016, Hatem Al-Sayed 2017, Farhan Bulbul 2018, Seyyed Ahmed Aqami 2019, Khalifa Al-Arifi 2020, Arab Theater Authority 2021, Rafiq Ali Ahmed 2022.
The Secretary-General pointed out that the Commission has issued a documentary book that includes between its covers all these messages, to be a supplement and a reference for all theatrical actors; Where it contained wisdom, enlightening visions and a call to life and to make theater a school of morals and freedom, that important call with which His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi concluded his message in 2014.
Jawad Al-Asadi graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Baghdad – 1972. He holds a doctorate from Bulgaria – Sofia – 1983 – for his thesis (Contemporary Iraqi theater and the problem of theatrical performance).
He has won many important awards, including:
The Prince Claus Foundation of the Netherlands Award for his entire theatrical texts – 2004.
Sultan Qaboos Award – Oman Muscat – 2006 for his theatrical scripts.
Arab Thought Foundation Award for the play “Baghdadi Bath” – 2009.
Grand Prize at the Carthage International Festival – 1985 for the play “Threads of Silver”, written and directed.
Directing and Acting Award at the 1993 Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre, for the play “Taqasim Ala Al-Anbar”.
Two gold prizes at the Carthage International Festival for the play “The Family Tut” 1983.
Two gold awards at the Carthage International Festival for the play “The Café”, produced by Sharjah National Theater 1997.
The memory of theater in the Arab world and the world also preserves distinguished experiences created by Al-Asadi, who began his creative career with the Palestinian National Theatre. Among these works: “Miss Julia in the City of Utopi” in Sweden at the Incret Theater – 1998, with Arab and Swedish actors, “Ras Mamluk Jaber” with actors from Spain in the city of Valencia, and “Women at War” with Algerian actresses in the city of Valencia. Rome – 1999, “The Women of Garcia Lorque” in Cannes, France – 1998, and “The Two Maids” on the stage of the House of World Cultures in Berlin and Paris, 1996-1999.
Al-Asadi also published many books that documented his experience and texts, some of which have been translated into several languages.