World Culture Festival - Performance Opportunity
Palestinian dancer Yousef Sbieh performs in 'Conference of the Birds' at World Culture Festival in Karachi, Pakistan.
The World Culture Festival at the Arts Council of Pakistan brings together participants from 141 countries to showcase diverse artistic performances and cultural expressions. Palestinian dancer Yousef Sbieh performs in 'Conference of the Birds,' an adaptation of Farid ud-Din Attar's 12th-century Sufi poem, under the direction and choreography of Wendy Jehlen. The production portrays birds embarking on a quest to find the legendary Simorgh, symbolizing divine unity and self-realization. Sbieh assumes the identity of a finch (Hassoun in Arabic), a bird significant in Palestinian folklore representing freedom, endurance, and grace. The performance frames the poem as a universal human journey, emphasizing themes of collective humanity, diversity, and the underlying unity of all people. The festival serves as a platform for artists to express cultural identity, resilience, and shared human values. The production gained added significance after Sbieh joined the company in 2023, as his presence and lived experience reshaped the context of the performance. The festival demonstrates how artistic expression can serve as a voice for communities, addressing themes of exile, displacement, and the human journey. This opportunity represents how international cultural festivals provide platforms for artists to embody their identities, tell important stories, and contribute to global dialogue through performance.