The Union of Radio Stations of the Arab States organizes, from September 21 to 24, 2026, the 26th edition of the Arab Festival of Radio and Television, placed under the slogan “The Pulse of the Image, the Echo of the Future.” The event will bring together in Tunisia artists, media professionals and actors from the audiovisual sector from several Arab countries.
Nassif Zeytoun and Rahma Riad in Carthage
The Ancient Theatre of Carthage will host the festival’s opening ceremony on September 21.
The evening will be notably marked by performances by Syrian singer Nassif Zeytoun and Iraqi artist Rahma Riad, in a show mixing music and singing.
This ceremony will kick off four days dedicated to radio and television productions and to new forms of media creation in the Arab world.
Notables from nine Arab countries in the spotlight
The opening ceremony will also include a tribute to several figures from Arab television, radio, cinema and media.
The honored personalities come from nine Arab countries and territories: Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, the Sultanate of Oman, Kuwait, Iraq, Mauritania, Tunisia and the Comoros.
These tributes aim to honor their contributions to the development of the Arab artistic and media scene.
A musical creation in its exclusive premiere for the closing
The closing ceremony will take place on September 24, 2026 at the Opera Theatre of the City of Culture in Tunis.
The evening will feature the exclusive world premiere of the musical work “Safir ilayka wa ghanni,” which can be translated as “Journey to You and Sing,” composed by Tunisian musician Karim Thlibi and conducted by conductor Rassem Damak.
The work offers a musical approach around the mawwal, a vocal form deeply rooted in the Arab musical tradition, combining heritage and artistic renewal.
Six Arab artists gathered on stage
Several Arab artists will participate in the closing evening, illustrating the diversity of musical experiences represented at the festival.
The program brings together Yacoub Chahine, from Palestine, Firas Fayez, from the Sultanate of Oman, Mamoun Souar Al-Dhahab, from Sudan, Hanine El Chater, from Egypt, Kacila Adjrad, from Algeria, as well as Abdallah Tarek, from Kuwait.
The winners of the competitions announced on September 24
The closing will not be solely devoted to music. It will also be an opportunity to announce the winning works in the main and parallel radio and television competitions.
The results of the new media competition will also be revealed on this occasion.
The festival will thus end with a ceremony blending artistic creation and the distinction of the media productions presented during this 26th edition.
