NAGY SOURATY OPENING CEREMONY SPEECH @MISHKALfestival 2013

Organizing a festival for all arts,
a festival for the youth and by the youth, in Septembre 2013,
in the heart of Beirut and making it happen, is our statement, is the statement of Al Madina Theatre.
Everybody was asking us if we were indifferent to what was happening around us.
Everybody was asking us how can we organize a festival in Beirut, despite what is happening around us?
Our answer was: it is precisely because we are not indifferent to what is happening in the world today that we are organizing this festival,
and that we want this festival to happen.
And here we are tonight, and our festival is happening.

MISHKAL,
a kaleidoscope,
a kaleidoscope of ideas, of forms, of colors,
a kaleidoscope of artists,
a kaleidoscope of young people coming from all the universities in Lebanon,
a kaleidoscope of generations,
If all these kaleidoscopes landed in Al Madina Theatre, it is not a coincidence. It is because Al Madina Theatre was created to become a platform for all arts, a platform of all arts.
Since its creation, Al Madina Theatre, had in its vision the youth,
its aim was to become their platform.
And here they are, the army of young people, occupying the theatre and making it their home.
F. Scott Fitzgerald says: "Youth is a dream, a form of chemical madness." This chemistry between youth and art is mad indeed, but it takes two to tango, we adults also acknowledge our madness.
This chemistry between the madness of two generations makes the dream come true,
and our festival came true.
Last year with the help of the European Union, and this year with the help of the Municipality of Beirut.
Creating a Festival is one thing, but sustaining it is another!

I will now speak in the name of this army of young people who have been working with me devotedly for months.
In their name I thank Mrs. Nidal Al Achkar, Founder & Executive Director of Al Madina Theatre,
who trusted them and who made Al Madina Theatre their second home.
In their name I thank Dr. Bilal Hammad and the Municipality of Beirut who believed in the youth like us,
and who made MISHKAL their own festival too.

In their name I thank Michel Eléfteriadès for accepting to be in charge of our Grand Opening tonight.
I would like to thank Mr. Nassir Kaloush, Governor of the Municipality of Beirut.
I thank Mrs. Alma Salem and Mr. Elie Gemayel and the British Council
who also believed in our project and decided to join us on board. We will be organizing a series of workshops in collaboration with the British Council who acknowledged the importance of our Festival
I thank the Ministry of culture, the Ministry of Tourism, and the Ministry of Education for their support.
I also thank the team of Al Madina Theatre: Mohammad, Salah, Ali and Louay, as well as the Board of the theatre.
I would like to thank the administrations and the deans of all the universities who encouraged their students to participate massively in our festival.
I would also like to extend my thanks to the participants who are the heart of the festival.
And in the name of Al Madina Theatre I would like thank the youth,
the committee of the festival, the squad of the festival and the team of the festival.. A hell of an army.
If the participants are the heart of the festival I will say without hesitation: you are the soul of the festival,
and do I need to specify that souls are eternal..