Yemen celebrates culture: Folk art festival combines tradition and resistance!

Yemen celebrates culture: Folk art festival combines tradition and resistance!

on May 19, 2025, the second day of the Folk Art Festival in Sana’a, Yemen celebrates its cultural diversity as part of the preparations for the 35th national holiday on May 22. The festival, organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and promoted by the Heritage and Cultural Development Fund, takes place on Tahrir-Platz and lasts four days. The celebrations are under the motto "From Sanaa to Gaza" and reflect on the unity and resilience of the Yemeni people.

The folk art festival presents performances from the Tihami cultural heritage, accompanied by Zamel songs who emphasize the cultural identity of Yemen. These songs address the need to preserve and defend the cultural heritage. In addition, they express the support of the Yemeni people for the Palestinian cause and Gaza. Al-Bara dances, which are also part of the program, symbolize resistance to hegemony and normalization.

cultural diversity in Yemen

The Yemen, known for his lively art scene, combines local and colonial influences. The cities of Sanaa and Aden are considered cultural hubs with a rich history of art, despite the challenges that the "invisible war", which has been persistent since the Arab Spring. This war has devastating effects on the cultural heritage of the country, since many cultural heritage sites have been destroyed by air strikes, which leads to a loss of cultural identity. Nevertheless, Yemeni artists remain: inside and activist: optimistic inside.

Asim Aziz, an award -winning filmmaker from Aden, fights for individual development in art. In his opinion, experimental art has hardly any room in Yemen, but he sees a source of inspiration in Aden. In his short film "1941", which was awarded internationally, he addresses cultural isolation and dealing with trauma. Nevertheless, he sees numerous hurdles in film production, including financing and social norms. The theater in Yemen has almost completely disappeared since 2014 due to a lack of funds and infrastructure.

commitment to social justice

Najla Alshami, who lives in Brussels and operates the cultural institution Yemen Art Base (YAB), is also committed to social justice and humanitarian work in Yemen. She emphasizes the need for access to the art scene and tries to create a network for Yemeni artists: inside. Her life in Belgium enables her more freedom and access to financial resources, but this does not prevent them from criticizing the bureaucratic hurdles in Yemen for funding.

Sadiq Y. al-Harasi, program coordinator and visual artist in Sanaa, is another protagonist who stands out for the preservation of Yemeni cultural heritage. With his Kitabat literary program, he contributes to the cultural archiving of Yemen and processes the challenges of cultural wreath in his work. Through projects such as the e-journal, which digitizes old Yemeni cultural magazines, as well as podcasts, he shares personal and cultural stories.

The support of Yemenitic artists: Inside, visiting exhibitions, the purchase of works of art and the theme in social media can be made. Artists promote initiatives such as "Cultural Networks Yemen" and "Yemen Creative Hubs": Inside through training and offer funding opportunities to support and make the creative scene in Yemen.

Overall, the folk art festival not only shows the cultural diversity of Yemen, but also emphasizes the challenges that the art scene faces in the middle of a continuing conflict. The hope of revival and appreciation of the cultural heritage remains a driving force for many artists: inside in the country.